Male’ City Council to file court case over govt repossession of 14 land plots

The Malé City Council has decided to pursue legal action against the government’s decision to repossess 14 plots of land currently under its jurisdiction.

The decision was made during an emergency council meeting held on Friday. During the meeting, Deputy Mayor Meekail Mohamed Riyaz expressed serious concern over the move, describing the government’s actions as a "scam" rather than a development initiative. He further alleged that the primary objective of repossessing the land was to systematically dismantle the decentralized governance system, stressing the need to take the matter to court to ensure the government is held accountable under the law.

North Maafannu council member Hussain Furushan questioned the fairness of the decision, noting that while the Ministry of Finance recently purchased land in Hulhumalé for MVR 94.5 million, the government was seeking to take prime land in Malé without offering any compensation. He argued that any transfer of land in Malé to the state should be accompanied by fair compensation for the city’s residents. Furushan also criticised the Ministry’s public notification process, stating that the council had not been consulted despite the announcement inviting public objections. He added that the council had not been given the stipulated 14-day period to submit its views.

Malé City Mayor Adam Azim highlighted that the plots in question generate significant revenue for the council. He warned that losing these assets would substantially undermine the council’s ability to deliver essential public services in the future.

Following the discussions, the council passed a motion proposed by South Hulhumalé member Ahmed Galib to seek a court injunction and escalate the matter to the Supreme Court as a constitutional case.

The government announced yesterday that it intends to reclaim 14 key locations in Malé currently under the City Council’s jurisdiction, including the Fish Market, Sultan Park, and the Carnival area. The Ministry of Housing has invited objections to the proposal to be submitted within 14 days. According to the announcement, the plots earmarked for reclamation are:

• Sultan Park and the National Museum
• The Fish Market
• The reclaimed area of the Fish Market
• The Local Market
• The land where the City Council staff accommodation building is located
• The building housing the Business Association office
• The Carnival area
• Artificial Beach
• Masveringe Maizaan (Fishermen’s Park)
• Thaise Koshi
• Public Toilet No. 2
• Land used by the council for plant storage
• Bondibaiy Park
• Rasfannu

An amendment to the Decentralization Act came into effect last September, authorizing the central government to remove land and facilities from the jurisdiction of local and city councils to facilitate development projects.