Court dismisses case filed by woman after father refuses marriage consent
5 އޯގަސްޓު 2026 | ބުދަ 10:51A Magistrate Court in Laamu Atoll has dismissed a case filed by a woman seeking a legal guardian's consent for marriage after her father refused to grant permission, citing a lack of jurisdiction. The court ruled the case inadmissible on the grounds that the respondent father is not a resident of the atoll, further noting that under the Family Act, applications for marriage guardianship must be submitted through the specific legal procedures and jurisdictions prescribed by law.
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A court has dismissed a case filed by an 18-year-old woman against her father after he refused to grant consent for her marriage. The young woman had sought a court order to obtain legal guardianship (wali) for the marriage to proceed.
This case involves a young woman from an island in Lhaviyani Atoll who filed a lawsuit against her father in a Magistrate Court.
A source familiar with the matter informed "RaajjeMV" that the young woman filed the case at a Magistrate Court in Laamu Atoll. However, the court decided to dismiss the case on the grounds that the respondent—the girl's father—is neither a native of nor a resident of that specific island in Laamu Atoll.
According to reports, the girl's father is a native of an island in Lhaviyani Atoll. As he is not a resident of Laamu Atoll, the court ruled that it lacked jurisdiction over the matter and subsequently rejected the case.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the young woman filed the case in the Laamu Atoll Court because she intends to marry an individual from a local island within that atoll. It is understood that the case was submitted to the regional court specifically to facilitate the legal proceedings required for the marriage.
In this case, despite attempts to obtain legal guardianship (wali) through the court after the father refused consent, the proceedings could not move forward as the matter was not filed in a court of competent jurisdiction.
Under the Maldives' Family Act, if a woman's legal guardian refuses to grant consent for marriage, a judge has the authority to authorize the union under the principle of "Wali-ul-Hakim" (state guardianship). However, such cases must be filed and processed in accordance with the established legal procedures and regulations.
