High Court has rejected the constitutional case filed seeking to revoke the city status of Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo, citing a population below the required threshold of 10,000.
High Court has rejected the constitutional case filed seeking to revoke the city status of Gaafu Dhaalu Thinadhoo, citing a population below the required threshold of 10,000.
Thinadhoo was granted city status during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration during his presidential campaign.
At the time, the population was reported to be approximately 8,000, with about 5,000 people residing on the island.
Under the Decentralization of Administrative Areas Act, a population of at least 10,000 is a prerequisite for city status.
The decision of the High Court's registrar on the case states that in constitutional cases, the High Court's jurisdiction is to sit on cases that has to do with a law or part of a law contravening the Constitution. They said that a presidential resolution is not of the same standing as a law, nor has it been passed by the parliament.
As such, issues to do with presidential resolutions cannot be seen as constitutional cases by the High Court, the decision said, rejecting the case.
Lawyer and Deputy Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, Mohamed Raghib was dismissed from his position for submitting this case against the President's Office.
Speaking to Mihaaru News, Raghib claimed that the list stating its population reaches 10,000 held by the Council is not a legitimate document. He said that review of the list had led to finding many discrepancies and other issues.
He said then that in the case, he had appealed to the court to revoke Thinadhoo's city status.
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