Gulhi Falhu land agreements revised due to legal issues: Muththalib

Minister of Construction, Housing and Infrastructure Dr Abdulla Muththalib announced today that adjustments were made to agreements with Gulhi Falhu land recipients under the Binveriya scheme to resolve inconsistencies with the Land Act.

In a post on X, the Minister said that the agreements had been changed as agreements entered into by the State must comply with laws.

He attached a screenshot of Article 11 of the Land Act, saying that the law clearly states how land for residential purposes can be issued.

Article 11(a) of the Land Act states, "State dwellings shall be issued to Maldivian citizens who do not have a state dwelling or a private dwelling or a flat from a government constructed building or from a co- owned building or a part of a state or private dwelling that has been divided in accordance with section 15 of this Act. However this Act shall not prohibit the issuing of a state dwelling to a person who relinquishes his/her ownership of a part of a state or private dwelling that has been divided in accordance with section 15 of this Act or relinquishes his/her ownership of a flat from a government constructed building or from a co-owned building or on a condition that the person relinquishes his/her ownership of the aforesaid properties."

Article 11(c) of the Land Act states, "No person shall be issued with more than one dwelling in a particular island however an additional dwelling can be issued at another island for residential purposes on a lease specified by the government in accordance with the regulations made under this Act".

On July 1, the Housing Ministry announced that recipients could from then apply for the new registry which is being issued after voiding the previous registry. This was announced following changes brought to the Gulhi Falhu land use plan.

It has been reported that under the new agreements, instead of declaring they have no State property in Male', recipients have to declare they have no State property in any area of Maldives.

This, however, contradicts the policies on issuing land from the Male' area under Binveriya scheme, which was gazetted on June 26, 2022.