Committee sets five-day deadline to wrap up review of bill on seizure of council’s lands

The Parliament’s Decentralization Committee has set a five-day deadline to wrap up its review of a contentious new bill that seeks to grant the central government greater powers to seize land under the jurisdiction of local councils.

The bill, which proposes introducing new provisions to the Decentralization Act, was submitted on August 5 by Thulhaadhoo MP Abdul Hannan Aboobakr, an independent aligned with the ruling People’s National Congress (PNC).

The bill was admitted into the Parliament on Monday with a majority vote of 55-8, and sent to the Decentralization Committee for review.

During a committee meeting on Tuesday, Kolamaafushi Ibrahim Didi, a lawmaker from the PNC, proposed finishing work on the contentious bill within just five days.

He proposed providing until 02:00 pm Thursday for submission of any complaints or opinions on the bill, and setting the deadline for completing the full committee review to 12:00 pm Sunday.

The proposal was seconded by Vilufushi MP Hassan Waheed, a fellow PNC lawmaker, and passed with a majority vote of the six ruling party members who sit in the committee.

They are:

• Kolamaafushi Ibrahim Didi
• Vilufushi MP Hassan Waheed
• Biledhdhoo MP Ahmed Aslam
• Nilandhoo MP Fathimath Sauda
• North Henveiru MP Ahmed Aifan
• Ungoofaaru MP Ibrahim Shifaz

Keyodhoo MP Mohamed Niushad, a lawmaker from the Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP), had proposed summoning officials from the Local Government Authority (LGA), representatives from local councils, representatives from political parties and other stakeholders to gain their perspective on the bill, and to push the deadline to September 30.

However, the proposal secured only two votes; from North Hithadhoo MP Abdulla Sodiq, a fellow MDP lawmaker, and Addu Meedhoo MP Abdul Rahman, an independent.

Taking over land and lagoons under the jurisdiction of local councils currently requires a presidential decree.

But Hannan’s bill proposes granting the cabinet the power to take over land and lagoons.

It states that land and lagoons will be removed from the jurisdiction of councils and transferred under the full control of the state once the cabinet makes such decisions, and the Local Government Authority (LGA) informs councils of it.

It also states that councils will be required to hand over land to the LGA upon request of the central government when seeking land to run projects.

The bill is also designed to prohibit councilors from acting, without a justifiable reason, in a manner that hinders planned government projects, or making any decision that could obstruct such projects.

The new bill comes amid complaints from top government officials over lack of cooperation from some councils for planned projects, including refusal to hand over land.

It also follows controversial amendments to the Decentralization Act last year that curtailed the power of councils to recruit new staff and lease land, lagoons and reefs under their jurisdiction close to council elections.

The bill has sparked an e-petition, demanding Hannan to withdraw it. The petition has gathered over 1,300 signatures.