Maldives Introduces New Framework to Standardise Non-Residential Land Allocation
- The Maldivian government published new regulations under the 2003 Land Act to standardise non-residential land allocation, valuation, and record-keeping.
- A presidentially-appointed nine-member Land Valuation Committee will set land values, with six allocation methods and clarified registration responsibilities to reduce delays.
- New transparency measures require councils to maintain land registers, submit monthly updates to a National Land Register, and update existing records within six months.
The Maldivian government has published new regulations under the 2003 Land Act to streamline procedures for allocating land for non-residential purposes, addressing long-standing administrative conflicts and transparency gaps. Published last week, the new rules establish clear mechanisms for land valuation, registration, and record-keeping across island councils and state institutions.
Under the regulation, a Land Valuation Committee appointed by the President will determine land values for allocations under the regulation. Comprising representatives from relevant ministries, the nine-member committee will operate under a chair designated by the President. The framework outlines six distinct methods through which authorities can allocate non-residential land: outright sale, lease, temporary management arrangements, direct allocation to state ministries and public institutions, rent-free provision, and allocation to majority state-owned enterprises.
To eliminate jurisdictional confusion, the regulation clarifies registration responsibilities. Previously, administrative friction—such as requiring buyers to seek ministry approval for council-managed land or tasking councils with registering ministry-allocated plots—caused lengthy delays and financial losses for landholders. The new framework assigns registration authority directly to the entity governing the specific parcel of land.
The regulation also addresses historical deficits in public transparency. Article 22 requires councils and agencies allocating land to maintain registers of all land allocated or sold under the regulation. The register is intended to strengthen oversight by recording key allocation details, while councils must submit monthly updates to the Ministry for inclusion in the National Land Register. Local councils must submit monthly updates to the ministry to maintain a central National Land Registry, and authorities have set a six-month deadline to update all existing registries.
Additionally, state institutions and public enterprises can now secure land with presidential approval, preventing delays to essential infrastructure projects previously caused by inter-agency disputes. Local councils will bear direct responsibility for enforcing the regulation within their respective jurisdictions.
