The Judiciary Committee of the Maldives Parliament on Sunday decided to keep its deliberations confidential, citing sensitive caste-related information contained in the Judicial Service Commission’s (JSC) documents relating to the scandal involving Supreme Court justices.

The decision followed a proposal by Hulhudhoo MP Mohamed Shahid, who raised concerns about public discussions surrounding the arrest of Justice Azmiralda Zahir’s husband from a massage parlour. Shahid suggested the meeting be held behind closed doors if statements were to be made about the circumstances of the arrest, described in the JSC report as involving a “barahana condition.”

South Hithadhoo MP Ibrahim Nazil had earlier spoken publicly about the arrest and the contents of the JSC’s investigation, prompting the proposal for confidentiality. Following the committee’s agreement, MP Nazil and several MDP members exited the meeting, as their earlier statements were seen as potentially implicating individuals not directly connected to the case.

Before the confidentiality decision, SMP hahid also urged the committee to forward the JSC’s recommendation to Parliament, stating that the procedures to remove Justices Mahaz Ali Zahir and Azmiralda Zahir were conducted fairly. However, once the meeting was declared confidential, no vote was held on this motion.

The JSC investigation also found that Justice Mahaz had facilitated contact between Justice Azmiralda and Judge Sofwath Habeeb in an attempt to influence a lower court’s ruling in a case connected to Azmiralda’s husband.