State must not seize islands and private property at its whim without providing fair compensation: Shamheed
5 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | ބުދަ 10:50MP Shamheed has stated that the proposed amendment to the Decentralization Act, which allows the state to seize property without compensation even after significant investment has been made, is unconstitutional. Expressing concern over the provision that enables the government to reclaim land under council jurisdiction, he warned that such changes would infringe upon private property rights and undermine the authority of the decentralization system.
Dr. Ahmed Shamheed, Member of Parliament for the South Hulhumalé constituency, delivers his remarks during Wednesday's parliamentary sitting. | RaajjeMV
Dr. Ahmed Shamheed, the Member of Parliament for the South Hulhumale constituency, has stated that certain provisions in the proposed amendment to the Decentralization Act—which would allow the government to reclaim land and sites under the jurisdiction of island and city councils for national development projects—conflict with the Constitution.
During the debate on the proposed amendments to the Decentralization Act currently before the Parliament, Dr. Shamheed stated that it is unacceptable for the bill to allow the state to seize property without any compensation, even after seventy-five percent of the investment has been completed.
MP Shamheed stated that projects could be halted due to unforeseen circumstances or global disasters. He argued that the current provision in the law, which allows the government to seize assets without compensation in such instances, is a direct violation of the Constitution.
The member further stated that private property should only be seized upon the provision of fair compensation, emphasizing that current practices must change.
The bill currently allows the state to seize assets without any compensation, even after 75 percent of the investment work has been completed. I do not believe this is a sound approach. A project could be halted due to unforeseen circumstances or even a global crisis. The provision in this law that permits the government to take over such assets without compensation contradicts the Constitution. Private property should only be acquired by providing fair compensation, and these provisions must be amended.Dr. Ahmed Shamheed
Under the provisions of this bill, the central government is empowered to reclaim lands and areas within the jurisdiction of island and city councils. This authority may be exercised in instances where the government decides to remove such locations from local jurisdiction to facilitate the implementation of national development projects.
Some members have noted that these changes will diminish the powers of local councils and bring significant shifts to the decentralized system. They have repeatedly emphasized that this bill is designed to allow the government to remove specific areas from council jurisdictions and bring them under central government control.
