Civil Court refuses injunction to vacate Hulhumalé hospital pharmacy

The Civil Court has declined to issue a temporary injunction requiring a pharmacy operating at Hulhumalé Hospital to vacate its premises, while granting an order preventing the space from being subleased to a third party until the conclusion of ongoing legal proceedings.

The case was filed by Aasandha Company against Santria Private Limited, which operates the pharmacy.

According to court documents, Aasandha alleges that Santria continues to occupy and use the premises despite the expiry of an agreement signed between the parties in 2017.

In its lawsuit, Aasandha is seeking the recovery of more than MVR 12 million in unpaid rent, revenue-sharing payments and damages.

The company also requested a temporary injunction requiring Santria to vacate the premises and prohibiting the company from leasing the space to any third party while the case remains before the court.

In a ruling issued on Wednesday, the Civil Court determined that a temporary order requiring the pharmacy to vacate the premises could not be granted at this stage of the proceedings.

The court held that such an order would effectively determine the central issue of the main lawsuit before the case had been fully heard and decided.

However, the court granted Aasandha's request to prevent the premises from being transferred to another party.

According to the ruling, allowing the premises to be leased or handed over to a third party during the proceedings could result in harm that may not be reversible.

The court therefore ordered Santria not to lease, sublease or otherwise transfer control of the pharmacy premises to any third party until a final judgment is delivered in the case.

The main lawsuit, including Aasandha's claims for unpaid rent, revenue share and damages, remains before the Civil Court.