The High Court has issued a stay order on a Civil Court order to return MVR 227,560 paid as Goods and Services Tax (GST) by Chang Hua Construction of Singapore during the construction of the 25-storey Dharumavantha Hospital.
The Civil Court ordered the state to return the amount in March 2024. According to the order, the state is responsible for paying the taxes to the Maldives Inland Revenue Authority (MIRA).
The Civil Court ordered the state to pay the MVR 227,560 to Chang Hua Construction within one month from March 20, 2024. However, the case was appealed in the High Court in May 2024.
In its stay order issued yesterday, the High Court said the most fair and just decision is to halt the implementation of the Civil Court order until a decision is reached by the High Court.
The case was overseen by Justices Hussain Mazeed, Mohamed Saleem and Huzaifa Mohamed.
Chang Hua Construction was awarded the USD 140 million contract to build the 25-storey Dharumavantha Hospital on March 1, 2016, during the administration of former President Abdulla Yameen.
