Supreme Court rejects Funavalu construction halt case
The case was filed after the government awarded a housing project involving three 17-storey buildings in the area to RCC in January.
The Supreme Court of the Maldives has dismissed a constitutional case seeking to halt construction work in the “Funavalu” area of Villimalé.
The case was filed after the government awarded a housing project involving three 17-storey buildings in the area to Rasheed Carpentry and Construction in January.
Environmental advocates and residents opposing the project have called for the development to be relocated, citing concerns regarding the preservation of the Funavalu area and its protected trees.
According to the petitioners, the site contains old-growth vegetation and trees estimated to be more than 50 years old.
The constitutional case was filed by Humaida Abdul Ghafoor and Ahmed Ikram.
The Supreme Court Registrar dismissed the case last week, stating that the arguments presented did not meet the requirements for direct review by the Supreme Court.
The petitioners appealed the Registrar’s decision to the Council of Judges on Monday.
According to the appeal:
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The Registrar’s decision allegedly exceeded the scope of the Registrar’s legal authority
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Questions relating to jurisdiction should be determined during judicial proceedings rather than at the registration stage
The petition sought orders to stop the housing project at Funavalu and establish broader legal protections for environmentally sensitive development projects across the Maldives.
The petitioners also requested court orders requiring construction projects to:
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Protect trees older than 50 years
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Adhere to sustainable development principles
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Prevent environmental pollution
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Avoid damage to natural resources and ecosystems
With regard to the Funavalu project specifically, the petition requested the court to:
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Take action over the absence of an Environmental Impact Assessment
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Issue an injunction against the government and the Malé City Council preventing activities that could damage protected trees
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Direct the council to update the registry of protected trees in the area
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Declare that the housing project cannot proceed at the current site and order its termination
Opponents of the project have also argued that residents of the Malé region were not consulted before construction plans were initiated.
