STELCO goes to court to repeal rule that raised road digging fee

State Electric Company (STELCO) has lodged a constitutional case with the High Court, seeking to repeal the regulations on road works in Male’ introduced by the city council.

STELCO’s spokesperson alleged the two regulations – the regulation on road works with and without closure of roads, and the regulation on works carried out by digging up roads or opening junction covers - was introduced by the city council to pester the people living in greater Male’, and raise the price of services.

STELCO filed a constitutional case with the High Court seeking to repeal the two regulations Thursday. The company has also asked for an injunction to suspend the implementation of the regulations until the court makes a decision in the case.

In a press conference Wednesday, STELCO’s managing director Ahmed Shareef alleged the two regulations were redundant. He said that the regulations were introduced without discussion with the Local Government Authority (LGA).

“When such regulations are introduced, the public are given time to adjust to it. It is implemented after a grace period. They have done nothing of this sort here,” he said.

Shareef said the regulations would have the biggest impact on the pockets of regular citizens. Because the fee for road works has increased.

He said that while it had previously cost MVR 31,471 to dig the road outside H. Misooree, it now costs MVR 85,510.68. It is an increase of 154 percent.