Deputy minister fired over Thinadhoo city court challenge
Raagib’s action against the state underscores a critical challenge to the legitimacy of the previous administration’s decision-making process.
Mohamed Raagib Ahmed, Deputy Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy, has been dismissed from his position following his filing of a constitutional case seeking to revoke the city status of Gdh. Thinadhoo.
The case, filed in the High Court on Thursday, alleges that the city status was granted based on inflated and potentially fraudulent population data.
Documents submitted to the High Court reveal that Raagib’s case questions the validity of the population figures that were used to qualify Thinadhoo for city status. His allegations include:
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Inflated Population Count: The inclusion of 115 deceased individuals in the council’s register.
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Duplicate IDs: Multiple instances of repeated identification cards in the council's records.
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Discrepancies with Official Data: A significant mismatch between the council’s population figures and the data maintained by the Department of National Registration (DNR).
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Actual Population Count: DNR records show Thinadhoo’s population as 7,924 as of November 17, far below the required threshold of 10,000 for city status.
Raagib’s constitutional case seeks the annulment of Thinadhoo's city status, granted on August 31, 2023, and the invalidation of all administrative actions taken following the decision.
The President’s Office confirmed Raagib’s dismissal on the same day the case was filed. Chief Spokesperson Heena Waleed announced via X (formerly Twitter): "The President today sacked the Deputy Minister of Climate Change, Environment and Energy, Al-Ustaz Mohamed Raagib Ahmed, following a court case against the state."
Raagib’s action against the state underscores a critical challenge to the legitimacy of the previous administration’s decision-making process.
Thinadhoo was granted city status by former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih during a campaign rally in August 2023. At the time, DNR data recorded the island’s population as 7,906, falling short of the required 10,000.
However, the Elections Commission’s report on administrative constituencies for the 20th Parliament cited a population of 10,150, raising questions about the sudden surge in numbers.
The discrepancies have drawn widespread scrutiny, with many questioning the methods used to justify the island’s new status.
The High Court has yet to decide whether to accept the case. If accepted, the case could have significant implications for Thinadhoo’s governance and the broader credibility of administrative decisions regarding city status qualifications.
