Noonu Atoll Council has withdrawn its lawsuit against the President’s Office over the decision to lease two islands in Noonu Atoll for tourism development. The council had previously filed the case at the Civil Court, claiming that leasing Kendivur and Dhonarerikandoodhoo for long-term tourism projects violated the Decentralisation Act. According to the council, the government’s decision was unlawful and did not follow the purpose of the law.

The Civil Court decided to handle the case through an early adjudication process. Judge Ahmed Abdul Matheen announced that there would be only one hearing, which would serve as the final opportunity for both sides to present their arguments.

However, the defendant, the President’s Office, did not attend the scheduled video hearing on October 14, 2024. Court regulations state that if a defendant fails to appear without proper authorization, the court has the discretion to dismiss the case.

A sentencing hearing was later set for November 3, but it could not proceed due to internet issues. The hearing was moved to the following Monday. Again, the defendant did not attend. The court was informed that the contract with the defendant’s previous legal representative had expired and that new lawyers had been hired, but no new representative appeared in court.

According to the Code of Civil Procedure, a case cannot be dismissed without proper reason and notice. The court noted that no valid explanation was given for the defendant’s absence and that no representative participated as required.

As a result, the Civil Court decided to dismiss the case. The ruling stated that the President’s Office did not take part in the lawsuit filed by the Noonu Atoll Council, leading to the case being dropped.