Parliament proposed to allow Government to spend for security of judges residences

Following a security assessment of the residences of the seven Supreme Court judges, Parliament Public Accounts Committee has received a proposition that the security for the residences of judges be spent for by the government.

After the murder of former Ungoofaaru MP Dr. Afrasheem Ali, a security threat assessment of parliament members and residences of judges was conducted by the Police. Upon receiving the assessment report, the Supreme Court judges had raised the issue with the Parliament Speaker Abdulla Shahid.

Parliament Public Accounts Committee conducted the debate on the issue yesterday and the members agreed to decide on the issue before the end of the week.

Committee chairman Dhiggaru MP Ahmed Nazim said that the constitution and the law make it mandatory for the government to ensure the security of the judges, but said that it is debatable whether the government should spend to set up security systems in the judges private residences.

“You will decide whether security should be established in their private residences. It is alright with me if the parties discuss and decide, or if the members decide themselves,” the chairman said.

Bileidhoo MP Ahmed Hamza said that the private residences of Supreme Court judges shall be granted security systems only after making a proper threat assessment, and after the committee had summoning the intelligence heads of the police and the military.

“Not depending on their threat level should the security systems be granted for their houses. At this point of time, I think we should make this investment depending on the information we get from MNDF and police intelligence,” Hamza said.