The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is set to receive full access to the ‘Gedhoruveriya” portal within a week, Dr Ali Haider Ahmed, the Minister of Housing and Urban Development has said. This development is a critical step in the ongoing investigation into the allocation of flats under the previous government’s ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme.
The decision to grant portal access follows the ACC’s earlier discovery of irregularities in the scheme, where over 325 complaints were lodged against the initial list of 4,000 flat recipients. The commission had previously reported a standstill in the investigation due to restricted access to essential data.
Minister Haider, addressing the Parliamentary Petitions Committee, stated that the ministry has paused actions regarding the flat list announced during former President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih’s administration. He indicated that future decisions regarding the list would be guided by the ACC’s findings and recommendations.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to fairness, Minister Haider assured that the original list of 4,000 recipients would not be cancelled. Instead, efforts will focus on ensuring that flats are allocated to rightful recipients, upholding the integrity of the housing scheme.
Amidst allegations of some recipients being ineligible and points being awarded contrary to regulations, the ACC had earlier instructed the Ministry of Housing to halt the flat allocation process. The directive was issued to prevent further actions until the completion of the ACC’s investigation, which has been hindered by limited access to the housing scheme’s portal.
The ACC’s probe had earlier revealed manual manipulation of points during the approval stage, despite claims of an automated system. This manipulation raised concerns over misconduct and abuse of authority among a few officials responsible for the approval process.
Former State Minister Akram Kamaluddeen, who chaired the committee on land plots and flats under the previous government, has denied these allegations, claiming political motivations behind the ACC’s accusations and criticizing the commission for publicizing preliminary findings without a thorough investigation.
With the ministry’s cooperation and impending portal access, the ACC is expected to delve deeper into the case, uncovering the extent of the alleged discrepancies in the allocation of flats under the ‘Gedhoruveriya’ housing scheme.