President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu on Thursday vetoed a bill passed by Parliament with amendments to the land law to require the handover of plots awarded to residents of Male' by the previous government's Binveriya (Landowners) scheme within three months.
"President Dr. Mohamed Muizzu has invoked Article 91(a) of the Constitution to return the Ninth Amendment Bill to the Maldives Land Act (Act No. 1/2002) back to Parliament for reconsideration," the President's Office said.
The bill was submitted on December 18 by Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) MP for Galolhu Dhekunu Meekail Ahmed Naseem, who has also been re-elected to the 20th People's Majlis. It was passed with 35 MPs voting in favour and no votes against.
The bill proposed adding a provision under Article 12 of the Maldives Land Act as well as two clauses (c) and (d) under Article 13 of the law.
The provision added under Article 12 of the Land Act concerned the handover of state-owned land.
Section (a) of the Article stated that the agency that awarded state-owned plots for housing must hand over the plot to the recipients within a maximum of six months from the date that recipients are determined and a final list is gazetted.
Section (b) of the Article stated that plots that have not been handed over after the final list was gazetted must be handed over within three months after the law comes into effect.
Section (c) added under Article 13 stated that the agency that awarded state-owned plots for housing must hand over land registries to the recipients within a maximum of six months from the date that recipients are determined and a final list is gazetted.
Section (d) stated that land registries that have not been handed over after the final list was gazetted must be handed over within three months after the law comes into effect.
