Environment Ministry Deputy sacked over case to annul Thinadhoo city status

The Deputy Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy Mohamed Raaqib Ahmed has been dismissed from his post on Monday after he submitted a case against the government seeking to annul the city status from Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo.

Raaqib’s termination was confirmed by President’s Office Spokesperson Heena Waleed on X who said President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu approved the Deputy Minister’s termination.

Raaqib, a practicing lawyer, submitted a constitutional case to the Maldives High Court claiming the population of Thinadhoo did not exceed 10,000 and the status of a ‘city’ was awarded through deception, and sought to annul this status which had been awarded during the previous administration led by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih.

He presented arguments in the case, claiming the population of the island did not meet the required criteria. He claimed that the names of 115 deceased individuals of the island had been put on the population list, which showed a total population of 10,150. Raaqib further argued about the presence of some legal discrepancies, discovered from the island’s population list from the Department of National Registration (DNR) and the subsequent population list from the island’s council authority.

He further argued there were instances of the same national identity card details used repetitively, while the relevant authorities did not properly check through the Local Government Authority (LGA) if non-locals of Thinadhoo had been registered to the island.

Raaqib argued the latest information from DNR revealed a total of population of 7,924.

As such, the lawyer had requested to annul the decision of granting city status to the island and subsequently revert all administrative decisions made in light of it.

Earlier, the High Court in a separate case held that individuals in political positions cannot launch lawsuits or cases against the state, but the Criminal Court granted Raaqib the opportunity to represent against the state earlier on November 6^th.

Following this, he has represented Hassan Mamdhooh who faces fraud and misrepresentation charges in the sale of K-Park residences.

Former President Solih made the announcement, granting city status to Thinadhoo on August 30, 2023 during a presidential campaign rally.

Awarding city status to Thinadhoo has been a key pledge of President Dr. Muizzu as well.