South Galolhu MP Meekail Ahmed Naseem has submitted a parliamentary resolution condemning the government’s seizure of 14 land plots previously held by the Male’ City Council.
The resolution states that the plots, which include revenue-generating sites, were taken without consultation. It argues that the loss of these assets weakens decentralisation and the financial position of the capital’s local authority.
The Male’ City Council has said it will seek a court injunction and file a constitutional case against the decision. Government officials have justified the reclamation by citing delays in projects on the plots and the need for land for urban development.
Recent legislative changes have expanded the Cabinet’s authority to reclaim land allocated to local councils for national infrastructure projects. The dispute is the latest in a series of tensions between the central government and the Male’ City Council over control of land.