PLEASE NOTE THAT THE CHAMBERS’ NEW PHONE NUMBER IS +230 6596913
Chambers I COVID-19 Update No. 4
On 31st March 2021, the Prime Minister extended the lock-down to 30th April 2021 (see: GN 512 of 2021).
Chambers will remain closed and calls to our main switchboard will not be answered.
Members of Chambers continue to work remotely and may be reached by email.
Please address any general queries to sirhamid@intnet.mu
Useful external links:
Supreme Court of Mauritius: https://supremecourt.govmu.org/
Mauritius Bar Association: http://www.mauritiusbarassociation.com/category/news/
Chambers I COVID-19 Update No.3
Following the recent spread of COVID-19 cases in Mauritius, the Prime Minister has imposed a lock-down in Mauritius effective as from 10th March 2021 to 25th March 2021 (see: GN 467 of 2021).
Chambers will remained closed from 10th March 2021 to 25th March 2021. Calls to our main switchboard will not be answered.
Members of Chambers continue to work remotely and may be reached by email.
Please address any general queries to sirhamid@intnet.mu.
Click here for the Supreme Court of Mauritius communiqué dated 10th March 2021.
Chambers I COVID-19 Update No. 2
Following the lifting of the sanitary curfew on 31st May 2020, Chambers is now open. Calls to our main switchboard are being answered and deliveries are being accepted. Members of Chambers will continue to work remotely where possible to ensure that adequate levels of social distancing are maintained.
We have also put in place a number of measures to minimise the risk of transmission of the virus which include:
(i) Regular washing and disinfecting of hands required by all members, staff, clients and visitors;
(ii) Wearing of face masks is required at all times;
(iii) Deliveries should be left at the designated delivery bay on the 6th floor;
(iv) Except in urgent cases, clients will be received on an appointments-only basis;
(v) Designated areas for client meetings;
(vi) Temporary suspension of catering services; and
(vii) Resorting to electronic documents and methods of communication where possible.
We will continue to monitor and act on advice from the Government of Mauritius and the WHO and implement the necessary measures to ensure the safety of our members, staff, clients and visitors.
1st June 2020
Chambers | COVID-19 update
Chambers is currently closed in light of the current curfew in place in Mauritius. Members of chambers are working remotely. Calls to our main switchboard will not be answered. Please address any queries to sirhamid@intnet.mu and leave a number on which we may contact you.
Useful Supreme Court of Mauritius links:
Communiqué of the Chief Justice
https://supremecourt.govmu.org/Lists/WhatsNew/Attachments/117/COMMUNIQUE%20FROM%20SUPREMECOURT.pdf
Communiqué of the President of the Commercial Division of the Supreme Court
Mauritius to host first ICCA Congress in Africa
As Founder Sponsor, the Chambers of Sir Hamid Moollan QC are pleased to announce that Mauritius has been selected to host the twenty-third International Council for Commercial Arbitration (ICCA) Congress - the largest regular conference devoted to international arbitration and the first to be held in Africa - on 8-11 May 2016.
The theme for the Congress will be: “International arbitration and the rule of law: contribution and conformity”. The Keynote Address at the Congress will be delivered by Egyptian Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Mr. Mohamed El Baradei, and the Gala Dinner Guest Speaker will be the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon.
In preparation for the Congress, the Host Committee organised a roadshow at the seat of the Mauritius Bar Association on 20 January 2016. Speakers included the Honourable Kheshoe Parsad Matadeen, Chief Justice of Mauritius, Honourable Ravi Yerrigadoo, Attorney General of Mauritius, Lise Bosman, Executive Director – ICCA, and Sir Hamid Moollan Q.C.
Members of chambers successfully resist MRA v Chettiar & Others appeal before the Privy Council
Sir Hamid Moollan QC, Salim Moollan QC, Nandkishore Ramburn and Bishan Ramdenee appeared successfully for the heirs of the former Vice-President of Mauritius, late Mr A.V. Chettiar, before the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council in London. The Mauritius Revenue Authority (MRA) had appealed against the decision of the Supreme Court of Mauritius. The Supreme Court had allowed Mr. Chettiar’s appeal against the decision of the Assessment Review Committee (ARC) that a retiring Vice-President is liable to income tax on his pensions, and held that pensions drawn by Mr. Chettiar as retiring Vice-President by virtue of section 4 of the President’s Emoluments and Pension Act 1992 (PEPA) are exempt from tax.
On 21 December 2015, the Privy Council gave its judgment and upheld the Supreme Court’s decision. It was of the view that “the entitlement of the President and the Vice-President to exemption from tax on their prescribed pensions and other emoluments, allowances and privileges is clearly provided for in the 1995 [Income Tax] Act” and “overarchingly (…), their entitlement to exemption is entrenched in the Constitution”.