Civil Court issues interim order forbidding long-term lease of Usfasgandu

The Civil Court has issued an interim order prohibiting the long-term lease of Usfasgandu area in the south-east corner of Malé. The interim order also forbade the construction of any buildings in the area.

The order to prohibit building in the area was issued, according to the wordings contained in it, on the rationale that construction in the place could cause irreparable and irreversible financial damage.

The order will be valid until the Court makes a final decision until the ongoing lawsuit involving Malé City Council and the Ministry of Housing is adjudicated by the Court. The case was initiated by the Ministry, when it filed for a court order on Malé City Council to hand over the area to the Ministry.

The Court order also obliges Malé City Council and all concerned parties not to extend the period of lease until a final decision is made in the case involving the Ministry and City Council.

Usfasgandu area has been leased by the City Council to the Maldivian Democratic Party for its activities for months. Malé City Council has been leasing empty land areas in Malé for MDP activities for unusually long durations since MDP leader Nasheed resigned from presidency on the 7th of February this year. First, the Lonuziyaaraikkolhu area was leased for about 5 months, and it was later vacated by the police when residents living in the area complained of continued, 24-hour nuisance caused by MDP activities and also the area became a hiding place for some MDP activities conducting criminal activities against the government and public property. When the police vacated the area, the City Council, which comprises of MDP members except one, leased Usfasgandu for MDP activities.