ACC Probe Requires Examination of All Flat Application Forms, Asserts Akram

Former State Minister of the Housing Ministry, Akram Kamaludeen, has asserted that the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC)’s inquiry into the allocation of flats under the Gedhoruveriya housing scheme should encompass a review of all submitted application forms to be deemed thorough.

Akram conveyed this viewpoint during today’s session of the National Development and Heritage Committee and the Independent Institutions Committee in parliament, where he and other members of the previous government’s flat committee, ACC representatives, and officials from the Ministry of Housing, Land, and Urban Development were summoned.

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The committees are currently scrutinising the ACC’s findings following its investigations into the flat allocations administered by the 400 Fahi Dhirulhun Corporation (FDC), revealing that nearly 60 percent of the listed recipients were deemed ineligible.

Akram underscored that if the criteria employed by the ACC to classify recipients into eligible and ineligible categories is to be applied consistently, then a thorough review of all applications under this scheme is warranted.

“It is not merely these 4000 that should be considered under this methodology. From my perspective, the entirety of applications must be reviewed,” he articulated to the committees.

Akram asserted that if the flats were indeed misallocated, the government should take action against those responsible for the wrongful allocations, while ensuring prompt allocation to the recipients announced by the previous government.

He maintained that it is incumbent upon the ACC to refrain from releasing such damning reports without concluding a meticulous and exhaustive investigation. Additionally, he urged the current administration to honour decisions made by the previous government.

Following a two-month investigation, the ACC reported that 59.6 percent of the 4000 flat recipients were ineligible. Moreover, they identified a further 19.7 percent who met the criteria but encountered discrepancies in their applications, such as conflicting information. Only 20.7 percent of forms were deemed eligible without any issues.