The Judiciary Committee has decided not to grant Supreme Court Justice Dr. Azmiralda Zahir, whom the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has decided to remove from the Supreme Court bench, the opportunity to speak before the committee.

The decision not to allow Justice Azmiralda to speak at the Judiciary Committee was made during a committee meeting held on Saturday.

It was MP for Kendhoo constituency Mauroof Zakir representing the main opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), who proposed to summon Azmiralda along with members of JSC at Saturday’s Judiciary Committee meeting.

MP Mauroof stated that the Judiciary Committee should provide an opportunity for judges to be held accountable and for JSC to respond to allegations made against it. He also noted that this would be the most just approach.

Azmiralda requested an opportunity to speak at the Judiciary Committee in a letter sent to the Speaker of the People's Majlis Abdul Raheem Abdulla. In the letter, the Justice requested an opportunity to appear before the Judiciary Committee with a legal counsel to share the points raised at JSC. However, when the proposal was put to a vote, it did not pass.

Only Mauroof Zakir and MDP's PG Leader Ibrahim Nazil voted in favor of Mauroof's proposal. The committee members from the ruling party voted against the proposal. However, today's committee meeting did not decide on the removal of the Justice.

Saturday’s committee meeting concluded with a decision to conduct further review of the matter.