Supreme Court registrar rejects the case against the Rasmale' deal

The Supreme Court registrar has rejected a petition that sought to block the planned USD 20 billion waterfront and marina project at Rasmale'. Lawyer and former parliamentarian Ali Hussain filed the case on 28 September. He argued that the agreement with Abu Dhabi developer Eagle Hills was unconstitutional. The registrar said the case is not one that can be filed directly in the Supreme Court. Under Article 11 of the Judicature Act, the court hears at first instance only disputes that could create a constitutional void, disagreements between branches or institutions of the state over the constitution, and constitutional matters that affect the public interest. The court has not decided whether the agreement itself is constitutional. Ali Hussain can ask the court's council of judges to review the registrar's decision within 14 days. Eagle Hills signed a commercial terms agreement on 21 September for a new district at Rasmale', with hotels, branded homes, a marina, a waterfront, shops and leisure centres. The petition says the plan would give the company 500 hectares of reclaimed land for 99 years, without an acquisition cost or lease payment, and would let it create leases for third parties. The government has described the project as one of the largest in the country's history. It has said early estimates put gross foreign investment over the life of the project at more than USD 30 billion, including about USD 18 billion in net foreign investment in the Maldives.