Previous list of 4000 are rightful recipients, agreements can only be voided by a court: Ali Hussain

Lawyer and former MP Ali Hussain has stated today that the rightful recipients of the Gedhoruveriya flats are the 4000 on the initial list, adding that the agreements made with them can only be voided by a court of law.

The previous administration, led by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, announced a final list of 4000 Gedhoruveriya flat recipients on November 4, 2023. On November 15, 2023, Fahi Dhiriulhun Corporation made agreements with all these recipients.

However, the Anti Corruption Commission ordered a halt on handing over flats at the time in relation to complaints received that some of the recipients on the list were not eligible.

After the ensuing investigation, Anti Corruption Commission announced that 60 percent of recipients on the list did not meet the criteria. A committee was formed to review the list, which found only 1,820 persons as eligible.

Ali Hussain, part of the legal team of Fahi Union, said that Article 6 of the policy made then states that flats will be officially handed over to recipients under an agreement made between the recipient and an institution decided on by conductors of the scheme.

Due to this, the agreements made cannot be voided, he maintains.

Ali Hussain said that this government, too, claimed that issuance of flats were being conducted under the same policy.

"The most important point I want to highlight is that this transaction has already been completed. 4000 flats have already been allocated to 4000 recipients. This is because as per the policy, the flats have been handed over once the agreement has been made," he said.

Ali Hussain said that from the moment the agreement was signed, the flats are a right of the recipients.

He said that the government does not have the power to cancel agreements at a whim. An agreement can only be cancelled through three stages at Court, he stated.

The lawyer maintains that even to date, the rightful recipients of the flats are the 4000 included in the final list published by the previous government.