President ratifies bill empowering govt to repossess land under council jurisdiction

President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has ratified an amendment to the Decentralization Act granting the government authority to repossess lands and other areas within the jurisdiction of island and city councils for the implementation of state development projects.

The bill was passed during the 28th sitting of the second session of the 20th parliamentary assembly on August 26th, with 47 votes from members of the ruling PNC, which holds super majority.

The opposition MDP voted against the bill. The bill was passed without considering petitions against its passage in its current form.

Under the amendment, once the Cabinet decides to designate a specific area within a council’s jurisdiction for government projects, the land will be removed from the council’s ownership and come under the full authority of the state.

The government may repossess such land even before the physical development plan of the respective island has been finalized and implemented. However, an amendment introduced during the committee stage requires the relevant ministry to provide compensation for any existing investments made on the land.

Additionally, the revised code of conduct for council members requires councilors to fully cooperate with state projects intended to serve the collective interests of the public. The code strictly prohibits councilors from obstructing such projects or making decisions to halt them without a justifiable reason.

The President’s Office stated that the amendment will streamline procedures for designating land required for national development projects.

Meanwhile, opponents and members of the opposition have described the legislation as a ‘land theft bill’. An amendment proposed during the legislative process requiring public consultation before changes are made to an island’s jurisdiction was also rejected.