Court Orders Man to Vacate Ex-Wife’s Flat After Refusing to Leave Following Divorce

The Civil Court has ordered a man to vacate a Hiyaa flat registered in the name of his former wife after he continued to reside there despite their marriage having been legally dissolved.

The case was filed by the woman, who sought court intervention after her ex-husband allegedly refused to move out of the apartment. 

According to the ruling delivered on Sunday by the Civil Court, the couple—originally from Lh. Hinnavaru—were divorced on 30 April last year.

In her testimony, the woman told the Court that she had repeatedly asked her former husband to leave the flat but that he had refused. She further alleged that his continued presence restricted her personal freedom, caused distress to their children and disrupted their daily lives.

The Court noted that multiple attempts had been made to serve the man with court documents and summonses, which he reportedly declined to accept. As a result, the judgment was delivered in his absence.

In its decision, the Court stated that the apartment is registered solely in the woman’s name. It also noted that the idhdha period following the divorce has expired, meaning it is no longer legally or Islamically permissible for the former couple to continue living together.

The man has been ordered to vacate the premises within two days of the ruling. The Court further authorised the Police to forcibly remove him should he fail to comply within the given timeframe.

The ruling comes amid a number of similar disputes linked to the Hiyaa Housing Project. During the allocation process, couples who both qualified for housing were given the option to register flats jointly or under one individual’s name, an arrangement that has since resulted in several legal challenges following divorce.