LGA seeks high court order to dissolve elected island council

The Local Government Authority is seeking a High Court order to dissolve a five-member elected council from a northern island on a charge of falsifying official documents.

The council of Miladhoo in northern Noonu Atoll is accused of altering and destroying official communications and misuse of the council budget, according to local media reports.

“The LGA looked into a complaint regarding violations within the Miladhoo council and the board felt that there is adequate evidence to ask the High Court to dissolve the council,” said Mohamed Azmeen, the LGA spokesman.

The decision was backed by a majority of the board, he said.

Home Minister Umar Naseer chairs the independent authority established to monitor and administer local councils.

The LGA is also seeking an order barring councillors from work until a decision is reached.

Officials from the LGA and the Civil Service Commission are due in Miladhoo this week to investigate the claims further.

The Miladhoo council, which comprises of four opposition Maldivian Democratic Party councillors and one ruling Progressive Party of the Maldives councillor, has issued a statement blaming civil servants at the council office for the allegations of doctoring official documents.

The council said it had lodged complaints with the LGA and the CSC over the issue with evidence that public servants had destroyed or altered documents and vandalised state property.

“As employees of different levels at the council have signed and dispatched documents under the council’s name with false information, the council on May 11, 2014 during its third general meeting declared that all documents which do not bear the seal of the council with a councillor’s signature under the council’s letter head shall not be considered authentic documents of the council,” the statement read.