The High Court of the Maldives has dismissed a petition seeking to revoke the city status granted to Gaaf Dhaalu Thinadhoo by former president Ibrahim Mohamed Solih's administration.

The case, filed by former Deputy Minister of Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Mohamed Raghib, challenged the designation on the grounds that Thinadhoo’s population did not meet the required threshold of 10,000 residents.

Raghib’s petition, submitted on November 21, 2024, alleged that the population data used to justify the city status was fraudulent, citing the inclusion of 115 deceased individuals in the official count. He also claimed that the data contained duplicate entries and conflicting identification numbers, arguing that the city status was granted based on inflated figures.

However, High Court Registrar Mariyam Hurshida ruled that the case did not fall within the court’s jurisdiction. Referring to the Supreme Court’s position, the registrar clarified that the issue was not a constitutional matter for the High Court to address.

She stated that the presidential resolution granting city status could not be considered as stemming from a law passed by Parliament, and therefore, the court was not empowered to entertain the petition at this stage.

The registrar further explained that decisions on whether cases should be admitted are at the court's discretion, and such decisions can be referred to the judges for review. As a result, the petition was dismissed.

Thinadhoo was granted city status on August 30, 2023, during former president Solih's administration. The decision sparked political controversy, with critics suggesting that it was intended to garner support during the election period. Despite the allegations, the current Administration has confirmed that the city status was formalised through amendments to the law and that all legal requirements were met.

Raghib’s petition raised concerns about the validity of the population data used in the decision-making process. While the Department of National Registration (DNR) recorded Thinadhoo’s population as 7,924, the official figures used to justify the city status reported 10,150 people. Raghib contended that the inflated numbers were an attempt to meet the legal criteria for city designation.

Though the High Court has dismissed the petition, the issue remains contentious.