The Housing Development Corporation (HDC) has refused to disclose the number of employees hired and the company’s expenditure, stating that the information is “not available” under the Right to Information (RTI) Act.
The refusal came in response to a wide-ranging RTI request seeking details on employee expenses, salary structures, and year‑by‑year staffing figures, information that has been publicly disclosed in previous years. The request also sought details of employees hired during the current administration, including political appointees, and total expenditure on staff.
Other information requested included:
 Company expenditure breakdown  
 Outstanding bills since the start of this term  
 Details of major procurements  
 Employee travel expenses  
 Internal audit reports  
 Company debt details  
 Expenditure on vehicle purchases during this term  
However, HDC declined to provide any of the requested information, citing Articles 22, 23, 25 and 30 of the RTI Act in its written response.
The refusal comes amid growing public concern that state‑owned companies are hiring more employees than needed, often for political reasons. According to the Privatization and Corporatization Board (PCB), government‑owned companies now employ 38,000 people, more than the 30,000 employed in the civil service.
HDC building in Hulhumale'. (Sun Photo)
PCB’s SOE Annual Financial Review last year recorded around 35,000 employees in state‑owned companies, indicating an increase of roughly 3,000 employees this year alone.
Financial pressures have also intensified. Twelve state‑owned companies posted a combined loss of MVR 281 million in the first quarter of this year, while the state spent about MVR 2 billion last year to support loss‑making SOEs, according to the Finance Ministry.
Although HDC is a profitable company, it is also heavily indebted. PCB figures show the corporation’s debt at MVR 9.3 billion, but the current figure remains unknown due to the lack of disclosure.
Complaints about non‑disclosure by state companies and agencies have increased in recent months. Unlike previous administrations, the current government has not released information on political employees. Even details of employees removed as part of cost‑cutting measures have been withheld. The President’s Office has also taken a case to the High Court to avoid releasing information, a case that has since stalled.