Hulhumale' cannot be removed from the jurisdiction of the Male' city council, mayoral candidate Ismail Zariyand has said.
Zariyand is competing in the mayoral race as an independent candidate with support from former President Abdulla Yameen.
In a post on social media X, Zariyand noted that the Constitution requires the administrative areas to be decentralized, while the administrative areas of Male' include Hulhumale'.
Zariyand said the municipal and administrative responsibilities entrusted to the city council are not “discretionary” and cannot be delegated by the government.
He said it was against the spirit of the law to exclude the administration of Hulhumale' from the jurisdiction of the council.
Zariyand has pledged to bring the management of Hulhumale' under the city council if he is elected mayor of the capital city.
"If I am elected mayor, I will conduct the judicial and organizational activities to take over the responsibility as decided by the district committee to be formed in Hulhumale'," he said.
The transfer of municipal services in Hulhumale' to the city council is a presidential promise made by President Mohamed Muizzu.
But he later accused the city council of refusing to take over the services. Mayor Adam Azim said it was a blatant lie.
