Registry of Public Lands Given to Individuals Will Now be Handled by Designated Gov’t Agency

The government has established regulations that enable the transfer of public land (Bandaara goathi) registration to a distinct agency appointed by the government.

The revised rules now empower a government-designated agency to undertake this task and this marks the second amendment to this regulation.

advertisement

The amendment, introduced by the Ministry of National Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure, brings about a fundamental alteration in the process of land registration.

Under the updated regulations, the authority responsible for issuing land registrations within a city’s jurisdiction has been expanded to include several entities. These entities comprise the city council of the respective city, the prevailing land registry authority, or any authority specifically designated by the government for land issuance pertaining to land development initiatives.

The newly introduced provision stipulates that in cases where the government allocates land for specific developmental purposes within an area, the recipient of the allocated land will be granted a permanent land registration. 

The key feature of the new regulations is the provision that land can be allocated and registered without the requirement for prior dredging or excavation. Alternatively, a document indicating the availability of land can serve as the basis for registration. This amendment coincides with the government’s plan to distribute around 9,000 land titles to the residents of Male’, the capital city. 

Previously, the responsibility for land registration rested with councils and city councils. However, with this recent alteration, the Ministry of National Planning, Housing, and Infrastructure has been entrusted with the role of overseeing the land registry.

The amended rules have come into immediate effect following their official publication in the government gazette.