While the case was ongoing, SIFCO reversed its decision and granted the officers the flats. The agreements were signed, and the keys handed over, leading the officers to withdraw their lawsuit.
The Sifainge Cooperative (SIFCO) has reversed its decision to deny flats to Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) officers who had previously received housing under the Hiyaa housing scheme.
The decision comes after a legal challenge by two officers who were initially deemed ineligible for SIFCO flats despite having paid the down payment.
In 2014, SIFCO allocated flats to eligible MNDF officers, requiring a down payment of MVR 91,000 and had been completed last year.
However, some officers who had paid the down payment also applied for and received flats under the Hiyaa housing project, launched during former President Abdulla Yameen’s administration. As a result, SIFCO decided that officers who had secured Hiyaa flats would not be eligible for the SIFCO flats.
Dissatisfied with this decision, two officers filed a lawsuit in the Civil Court. They argued that the new condition was introduced after they had already applied for and been deemed eligible for the SIFCO flats. The officers claimed that the decision violated their rights and sought a court order urging SIFCO to hand over the flats and proceed with the agreements.
While the case was ongoing, SIFCO reversed its decision and granted the officers the flats. The agreements were signed, and the keys handed over, leading the officers to withdraw their lawsuit.
The government now disqualifies individuals who have already received housing through other government projects from applying for additional housing benefits.
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