Ministry to seek legal advice before handing over flats

The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs has said that the process of allotting flats will be carried out after seeking legal advice following more details from the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) on the issues related to the Gedhoruveriya scheme launched by the previous government to allot flats to residents in the Male area.

The 4,000 flats announced under the 'Gedhoruveriya Scheme' were stopped at the end of November last year as the government began investigating complaints that the list of beneficiaries was being illegally announced and the registry was being handed over to people that did not meet the criteria.

Despite the ongoing investigation, the ACC on Thursday gave permission to the Housing Ministry to continue with the allocation of flats, but under conditions.

The Housing Ministry said in a statement on Wednesday that various parties are spreading fabrications on social media regarding the scheme, defaming the ministry.

According to the ministry:

The ministry said that ACC would share further details of the investigation with them.

“Once the information is received, we will seek legal advice on the matter and proceed with the allocation of the flats,” the ministry said in a statement.

At the time, the Housing Ministry of the previous government had said that it had handed over the agreements to each of the 4,000 FDC flats being constructed in Hulhumale Phase II through the portal.

They are the 4,000 people who have been given the highest marks on the permanent list of flat recipients.

The Independent Institutions Committee of the Parliament on Wednesday asked the ACC members whether the people who have signed the agreement will get the flats now, as things stood.

In response, ACC President Adam Shameel said the ACC had not instructed on what should be done about a civil agreement made between the government and the people.

More than 20,000 people applied for flats under the Gedhoruveriya scheme. Of these, 18,167 people were eligible for the flats, according to a permanent list released by the previous government.

The ACC has examined 4,048 forms based on complaints from the public regarding the permanent list. Of these, 59.6% were ineligible, the ACC said.

Most of the ineligible people include those who have submitted false documents from councils and companies and those who have previously received housing from a social housing scheme, the ACC said.