Former Chief Justice says Ras Male' case dismissal exposes government’s Supreme Court control
14 އޮކްޓޯބަރު 2026 | ބުދަ 07:46Former Chief Justice Didi has criticized the Supreme Court's dismissal of a case involving the allocation of a large area of Ras Male' to Eagle Hills, stating it demonstrates the extent of government control over the judiciary. He further noted that the Registrar's decision to throw out a matter of such significant public interest without a procedural hearing is an unconstitutional and extreme act.
Former Chief Justice Dr. Ahmed Abdulla Didi. | Raajje MV
Former Chief Justice Dr. Ahmed Abdulla Didi has stated that the Supreme Court's dismissal of a constitutional challenge against President Muizzu's administration—regarding the allocation of a large area of Ras Male' to Eagle Hills—demonstrates the loss of judicial independence and the extent to which the nation's highest court has fallen under government control.
Didi made these remarks in a post on X, following the Supreme Court Registrar's decision to reject and dismiss the case.
Legal practitioner and former Member of Parliament for the Kendhoo constituency, Ali Hussain, filed a constitutional case with the Supreme Court challenging the validity of an agreement signed between the Ministry of Housing, Infrastructure and Urban Development and Eagle Hills, a company based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). However, the Registrar of the Supreme Court has rejected the case, ruling that it does not fall under the court's original jurisdiction. The Registrar noted that the matter is not of the nature required to be filed directly with the Supreme Court in the first instance, as stipulated under Section 11 of the Judicature Act of the Maldives.
Criticizing the decision, Didi stated that there is no doubt it directly contravenes Article 68 of the Constitution, as well as other relevant constitutional provisions and the Judicature Act.
He further noted that the bench should only decide to reject "public interest litigation" or cases involving the general public interest after conducting a procedural hearing and clearly outlining the legal grounds for such a decision. Additionally, Didi stated that for the Registrar to exceed their jurisdiction by dismissing such cases filed with the court would be nothing short of an extreme overreach.
The Ras Male' project has been promoted as the flagship housing initiative of President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu’s administration. However, the project recently took an unexpected turn when a significant portion of the Ras Male' area was leased to Eagle Hills for a period of 99 years. Following the court's dismissal of a legal challenge against the agreement, both the government and the judiciary have come under intense scrutiny. The decision has sparked widespread criticism from figures across the political and legal landscapes.
