Addu City appeal postponed

Attorney General’s Office has decided to postpone the appeal of Addu City invalidation by the Civil Court which was decided by the government to be appealed in High Court.

Attorney General’s office said that the decision to postpone the appeal was due to the President Mohamed Nasheed re-declaration that Addu as a city, following publication, in the Government Gazette, the criteria determining cities. The criteria were established by the Local Government Authority.

A City Council has now been formed for Addu in accordance with Decree number 2010/15, and Annex 2 of Act no: 7/2010 (Decentralisation Act).

The President also sent a letter to the Election’s Commission, informing of his decision to declare Addu a city. In the letter, he requested the Elections Commission to hold elections for the Addu city council as scheduled and in accordance with law.

According to the criteria established by the Local Government Authority, the gross domestic product of a city must be no less than Rf1 billion. According to statistics by the Department of National Planning, the GDP of Addu in 2010 is more than Rf2 billion.

Meanwhile, Civil Court of Maldives delivered the verdict that the President Mohamed Nasheed’s decision to make Addu City Council invalid.

The court decided as such on the last hearing of the case filed by Opposition Gaumee Party (GP) Vice President Imad Solih who alleged that the government’s decision to make Addu Atoll as a city was in contradiction to the constitution of the country.

Civil Court Judge Hathif Hilmy delivered the verdict saying that the the Local Government Authority has not yet develop a standard to assess the services and productivity of the atoll so as to declare Addu Atoll as a city. He said that the president is not authorized to declare Addu atoll as a city.

Attorney General Dr Ahmed Ali Sawad said that the verdict of the Civil Court to invalidate the President’s decision to make Addu City Council will be appealed in the High Court.

Dr. Ali Sawad said to Miadhu Daily that the court delivered the verdict without taking the points noted by the government into consideration.

The AG underscored the importance of seeking a legal solution to the problem. He said that the Civil Court declared that only two requirements to make a City Council have been not met by the government to declare Addu Atoll as a City.

“The court only highlighted the requirements mentioned on appendix 2 of 2, 3. We have said in the court that those conditions can only be met after appointing the Local Government Board. We have said in court that the board has to include a city council member from the islands in addition to the council member of Male’,” Dr. Sawad said.