Case lodged with Supreme Court over Male’ residency policy’s ‘unfairness’

As the government readies to issue land to residents of Male’ City for the first time in years, a case has been lodged with the Supreme Court claiming lack of fairness of the policy which declares Male’ residency.

Applications for 3,000 plots of land from Hulhumale’ and Gulhifalhu under the Binveriyaa scheme opened last year.

Lawyers Shihad Ibrahim and Hassan Falah had lodged a constitutional case with the High Court seeking to annul the policy on determining Male’ residency. However, the case was rejected by the court last month, prompting them to lodge the case with the Supreme Court on Sunday.

The Supreme Court has yet to make a decision on accepting the case.

The original condition for land under the Binveriyaa scheme had been lack of registration in any other island expect for Male’.

The condition had disqualified people registered on the Male’ Dhafthar.

Following public concern, the policy was later amended to qualify people who were previously registered to another island, but are now registered to Male’ and have at least one parent who are from Male’.

The government opened applications for 4,000 flats and 3,000 plots of land last year; 1,000 from Hulhumale’ Phase II, and 2,000 from Gulhifalhu. The government has also announced plans to issue 2,000 more plots by reclaiming Giraavaru lagoon.