12 March 2024 12:00 am Views - 213
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
Two writ petitions filed against the divestiture process of the Lanka Hospital Corporation PLC and Sri Lanka Telecom PLC were yesterday withdrawn before Court of Appeal.
The petitioners Lyca Leasing Holding Limited and Lyca Mobile SARL decided to withdraw the two petitions, reserving their rights to file fresh applications.
The respondent parties including State Minister of Finance had raised objections regarding the maintainability of the petitions citing in terms of Article 35(3) of the constitution the President cannot be named as a party.
The Court of Appeal had earlier issued an interim order preventing the authorities from proceeding with the divestiture process of the Lanka Hospital Corporation PLC and SLT, until March 12.
Lyca Leasing Holding Limited and HAIMS International Limited are challenging the refusal to consider their application for prequalification in the Request for Qualification (RFQ) for the strategic divestiture of 51.34% of the Lanka Hospitals Corporation PLC.
The petitioners named Minister of Finance Ranil Wickramasinghe, State Minister of Finance Shehan Semasinghe, the members of the special cabinet-appointed negotiating committee for the purpose of selecting pre-qualified bidders for the strategic divestiture pertaining to 51.34% shares of Lanka Hospitals PLC and several others as respondents.
In the SLT case, Lyca Mobile SARL and Pettigo Comercio Internacional sought an order preventing the respondents from proceeding with the divestiture process of Sri Lanka Telecom PLC with the already selected applicants.
Kuvera De Zoysa, P.C instructed by Sanath Wijewardane appeared for the Petitioners.
Faiszer Musthapha,PC with Shaheeda Barrie and Mehran Careem appeared for the State Minister of Finance.
Ronald Perera PC with Chandimal Mendis appeared for the Minister of Finance.