Additional reporting by Ahmed Naish.
The government has confirmed today it has requested the Local Government Authority (LGA) to dissolve Male’ City Council (MCC) – an elected body predominantly represented by opposition Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) members.
The MCC has been involved in a number of disputes with the government during 2012 following February’s controversial transfer of power – most recently over the issue of funding and utility bill payments.
President’s Office Spokesperson Masood Imad confirmed to Minivan News today that any decision to dissolve the MCC would be made legally through a request to the LGA, which is presently chaired by the Home Minister.
“What I know is that we are getting complaints about [the council’s] inefficiency,” he said.
Masood was unable to comment further on the matter at time of press, forwarding inquiries to Home Minister Dr Mohamed Jameel Ahmed.
Dr Jameel was not responding to calls from Minivan News at the time of press.
However, Councillor Mohamed Abdul Kareem told Minivan News that the MCC had been informed that the LGA had been sent a request from the government to dissolve the council.
Of the eleven councillors of the capital, nine were elected on MDP tickets.
Kareem observed that article 66(a) of the Decentralisation Act grants the LGA authority to submit a case to the High Court requesting the dissolution, but believed no such motion had been filed at time of press.
“As far as I know, such a case has not been sent to the court,” he said
Kareem added that should the dissolution matter proceed, lawyers for the MCC were to appeal against any such motion, taking the case to the Supreme Court if it was unsuccessful during the High Court case.
Three grounds for dissolving councils are specified in article 66(a) for which a case could be submitted to the High Court.
These include repeatedly failing to carry out the functions and responsibilities of the council; misusing the council’s resources or facilities; and failing to carry out duties due to repeated failure to hold meetings.
Article 66(b) meanwhile states that the court must only grant the LGA request “if the court believes that there is no other way but dissolving the council.”
In the event that the High Court approves dissolving the council, fresh elections must be held within 45 days. The LGA would appoint caretakers in the interim to manage council affairs.
LGA member Ahmed Faisal told newspaper Haveeru today that the Home Ministry requested the MCC be dissolved following deliberations by the cabinet.
“We have received a letter signed by the Home Minister. But we have not tabled the issue in the agenda yet. And I don’t even believe that the Home Minister could order a council to be dissolved like that. Because there are a lot of things the LGA has to complete before that,” Faisal was quoted as saying.
Faisal accused Home Minister Jameel of requesting the city council be dissolved for “political purposes.”
Faisal also criticised Jameel for allegedly being unaware of the difficulties faced by councils in his role as chair of the LGA, the oversight body formed to coordinate with and oversee local council.
The LGA member stressed that dissolving councils was a long process and that the LGA has not made any decision yet, adding that dissolving the council without addressing difficulties it faced would be “unjust.”
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i thinks if jameel disolvE counsil then he make bigs Mistake. We will give lesson with our dearr leader anni. we will do ao so many things to jameel. city counascil very godd counsscil. they give many servias to peopples of Male. serVbis.
First President Nasheed, the elected President was thrown out by force, now they want to dissolve Male city council, another elected body, followed by the parliament, the last elected body in the country! A government who came to power by a coup will be allergic to elected officials! No surprise here!
Bodibah Jameel thinks government of Maldives is rightful property of his grandfather.
The problems with these sorts of traitors are of that they do not have knowhow to govern a country nor they have economic background to manage an economy! Disgusting!
not only council, Majlis also needs to be reset. the current batch of ppl in these places are simply rascals to put it mildly. we do not need everything in the name of democracy. we need good things in the name of democracy.
No Surprise Bodibaiy one more thing for you to remind is either kill all of us or you leave and get lost with your Master Saeedh and not even turn or point at the direction of male
This shows how far a coup government will go. Everything is slowly, but surely, going under MNDF/MPS.
Soon, we will hear that all the ministries are to be run under MNDF.
So far,
Transport Ministry is temporarily under MNDF
Immigration Ministry is under MNDF
Airport Security under MNDF
Police Integrity Commission is now under Ministry of Home Affairs (Budget)
ރައްޔިތުންގެ ވޯޓަކުން ނުހޮވޭ މީހުން އަދި ރައްޔިތުން 2008 ގައި ނޫނެކޭ ބޭނުމެއްނެތޭ ބުނި މީހުން، ގަދަކަމުން ވެރިކަމަށް އަރައި ރައްޔިތުންގެ މަންދޫބުން ދުރުކުރަން އަނެއްކާ އަނެއް ބަޣާވާތް ގެންނަންތޯ ތިޔައުޅެނީ؟
ސަރުކާރަށް ޖެއްސުންކުރިއްޔޭ ބުނާއިރު، ރައީސް ނަޝީދު ވެރިކަމުގައި ހުރިއިރު މަޖުލިހުން އޮތި ސަރުކާރުން އެއްވެސް ޚަރަދެއް ނުކުރެވޭނެކަމަށް ވެސް ފާސްކޮއްފަ. އެވަރަށް ޖެއްސުންކޮށް ދަޢުލަތުގެ ޚަރަދުތައް ބޮޑުކުރުވައި، ކައުންސިލކްތަކަށް އެތަށްގުނައަކަށް މެމްބަރުން އިތުރުކޮށް، 22 ނަމުން މިނިވަން މުއައްސަސާ އުފައްދާފަ! އެކަމަކު ވެސް ޑިމޮކްރަސީގެ ރިވެތި އުޞޫލުން ރައީސް ނަޝީދު ތިޔަ ތަންތަން އުވާލާކަށެއް ނޫޅުއްވާ. އެމަނިކުފާނު އުޅުއްވީ މަޖުލިހުގައި ހިންގާ ކޮރަޕްޝަން ހުއްޓުވުމަށް. އެގޮތުން "އައި ނީޑް ސަމް ކޭޝް" އާއި އޭސީސީ އަށް "ވޯރނިންގ އަޅާލި" ޢިއްޒަތްތެރި މެމްބަރުން ހައްޔަރުކުރަން އުޅުމުން ހުރަސްއެޅީ ކޯޓުތަކުން. ކޯޓުތަކުން އެކަމަށް އެއްބާރުލުންދިންނަމަ، ފަހުން މެމްބަރުން ގަނެވިއްކަން އެއްވެސް ޕާރޓީއަކަށް ނުކެރުނީސް. އެކަމަކު، އެދުވަހުގެ އާދޭސްތަކާއި ހެކިތަކަށް ކޯޓުތަކުން ފައިންއެރީ. މިއަދު ރައްޔިތުން އުފުލަމުން މިދަނީ އެކަމުގެ ވޭނާއި ހިތްދަތިކަން.
ޔާﷲ، އަޅަމެންގެ މައްޗަށް ރައްޔިތުންގެ ވޯޓަކުން އަންނަ ވެރިއަކު ލައްވާނދޭވެ. އޯގާވެރިކަމާއި އެކު މުސްކުޅިންނާއި އަޅާލައި، ޚާއްޞަ އެހީއަށް ބޭނުންވާ ނިކަމެތީންނަށް އެހީވުމަށް އިސްނެންގެވި ރައީސްއަށް ދެވަނަ ފުރުޞަތެެއް ދެއްވާ އަޅަމެން މިވޭނުން ސަލާމަތްކުރައްވާނދޭވެ.
City council need not be dissolved. Parliament need not be dissolved. Presidency need not be dissolved.
The problem is not the institution, but the lack of responsibility, ownership, reliability, and above all the means to appraise the current job holders at their jobs.
Just because Maizan is a useless guy, just because Parliament is a house full of imbeciles, just because we are entertained dictators does not mean the institution needs to be hacked.
Great!
People's choice has been taken away by this regime on 7th February 2012 once!
Now this!
What next?
Execution of lessons, learned from behind the great wall! Perhaps!
All is going to plan. Excellent work, coup regime. March unto your own deaths.