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Civil Court has issued an injunction prohibiting the government from conducting any transactions regarding a reclaimed land plot in Hulhumalé Phase 2, following allegations that officials attempted to sell the property beneath market value without public tender.
News Desk
Hulhumale' -- Photo: Visit Maldives
MALÉ: The Civil Court issued a temporary injunction ordering the Ministry of Housing to stop all transactions and third-party transfers regarding a land plot in Hulhumalé Phase 2.
The order follows public outrage earlier this month when an internal memo from the Ministry of Housing’s Housing Department to its Finance Department leaked online, revealing plans to sell the vacant property to an individual named Ahmed Zahir below market value without a public announcement or bidding process.
The land was originally allocated under the previous government’s ‘Binveriya’ housing scheme to former Elections Commission (EC) President Mohamed Zahid. However, ministry cancelled the agreement in July 2023, claiming Zahid was ineligible because he was not born in Malé.
Zahid filed a lawsuit two months later challenging the cancellation. In its injunction ruling, the court noted that proceeding without an order could cause irreparable harm to Zahid, ruling that the state’s only burden is maintaining the property status quo while the legal dispute is resolved.
Following the public uproar, the Ministry of Housing reported the attempted sale to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) and confirmed that further actions will await the watchdog’s findings. Ministry officials also noted that future disputes involving historic land allocations will be routed through the Civil Rights Department of the Attorney General’s Office for legal guidance
