High Court Rules Residents' Case Against STELCO Over Generator Pollution Can Proceed

The High Court of the Maldives has ruled that a case filed by five residents of Malé against the state electric company, STELCO, over smoke and noise from its generators can proceed. The court dismissed a procedural objection raised by STELCO that the appeal form lacked the required detail specifying the relief sought. The residents originally filed a case in the Civil Court claiming that the smoke and noise from STELCO’s generators harmed their health and the environment, violating their right to a clean and healthy environment. After the Civil Court case was unsuccessful, they appealed to the High Court. During the appeal, STELCO sought to have the case dismissed on procedural grounds, arguing that the appeal form did not contain the necessary section (number 9) detailing the relief requested. STELCO also requested that the court order the residents to pay court costs and lawyer’s fees. The High Court bench, comprising Judges Abdul Maniu Hussain, Hassan Shafeeu, and Fatima Faraheez, examined the matter and found that the original appeal form and a subsequently corrected version both contained the required information. The missing page was due to an administrative error by the court itself when the corrected pages were submitted. The court ruled that it would be unjust to dismiss the case over an administrative mistake, especially since the essential information was present in the initial filing. Therefore, the court rejected STELCO’s objection and ordered the case to proceed for a full hearing.