National Procurement Commission probes E-passport tender process

•  Senior Additional SG requested the court to postpone the hearing of the matter until the National Procurement Commission submits its investigation report

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

The Attorney General yesterday informed the Court of Appeal that the National Procurement Commission is conducting an inquiry regarding the awarding of tenders for the purchase of five million e-passports.   

Senior Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, appearing for the Attorney General, made these remarks when the writ petition filed by Epic Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and its Executive Chairman was taken up before the Court of Appeal.   

Dharmawardena requested the court to postpone the hearing of the matter until the National Procurement Commission submits its investigation report. He assured the court that he would submit the report once it is available.   

The Court had previously issued an interim order suspending the operation of the former government’s Cabinet decision, which had granted approval to purchase 750,000 N-Series Passports from two companies as part of the initial procurement for the supply of five million e-passports.   

The Court of Appeal, comprising a two-judge bench of Justices M.T.M. Laffar and P. Kumararatnam, fixed the petition for hearing on January 23.   

Viran Corea PC with Pramod Perera, Hiruni De Almeida and Shamina Bangsajayah instructed by Neelakandan & Neelakandan appeared for Epic Lanka. Senior Counsel Buddhike Illangatileke appeared for JIT. Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardhana appeared for the Attorney General. Counsel Nisala S. Fernando appeared for Metropolitan Technologies Pvt Ltd and Eraj De Silva PC appeared for former president Ranil Wickremesinghe.