The Malé City Council has chosen to take legal action against the government’s choice to reclaim 14 parcels of land that are presently under its authority.

The choice was made at an urgent council meeting that took place on Friday. In the meeting, Deputy Mayor Meekail Mohamed Riyaz voiced significant concern about the decision, labeling the government's actions as a "scam" instead of a development effort. He also claimed that the main aim of reclaiming the land was to methodically undermine the decentralized governance system, emphasizing the necessity of bringing the issue to court to ensure the government faces legal accountability.

Council member Hussain Furushan from North Maafannu raised concerns about the decision's fairness, pointing out that even though the Ministry of Finance recently acquired land in Hulhumalé for MVR 94.5 million, the government aimed to seize prime land in Malé without providing compensation. He contended that any land transfer in Malé to the government must include just compensation for the residents of the city. Furushan also condemned the Ministry’s process for public notifications, claiming that the council was not consulted even though the announcement called for public objections. He mentioned that the council had not received the required 14-day timeframe to express its opinions.

Mayor Adam Azim of Malé City pointed out that the specific plots produce considerable income for the council. He cautioned that forfeiting these assets would significantly weaken the council's capacity to provide vital public services down the line.

After the discussions, the council approved a motion suggested by Ahmed Galib from South Hulhumalé to request a court injunction and elevate the issue to the Supreme Court as a constitutional matter.