A constitutional case has been submitted to the High Court challenging the city status of GDh. Thinadhoo, granted during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration.

The case, filed by lawyer and Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Environment, and Energy Mohamed Raghib, alleges that the status was fraudulently conferred as Thinadhoo’s population does not meet the required threshold of 10,000 residents.

Deputy Minister Raghib claims that the population figure was inflated using falsified information, citing a list that included the names of 115 deceased individuals to suggest a population of 10,150. According to him, the accurate population, based on records from the Department of National Registration (DNR), is 7,924.

The case also highlights discrepancies in the population records, including duplicate entries and conflicting ID numbers. He further noted that the Thinadhoo Council failed to ensure that individuals registered on the island were not simultaneously registered elsewhere.

In his petition, Deputy Minister Raghib requested the High Court to revoke Thinadhoo’s city status and nullify all administrative actions taken based on its designation as a city.

Former President Solih had announced Thinadhoo’s city status during a campaign rally on August 30th, and the decision was later formalised when President Dr Mohamed Muizzu ratified amendments to the Decentralization Act in March. However, the recent allegations bring into question the validity of the data that led to Thinadhoo’s elevation to city status.