CoA postpones hearing on petition to change SLC constitution

By Yoshitha Perera

The Court of Appeal yesterday postponed further hearing of the petition on changing the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) constitution till June 08 and ordered the respondents to file objections on the same day. 

When the petition was taken up before the Bench of Court of Appeal Justices Arjuna Obeysekere and Justice Mayadunne Corea, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Sumathi Dharmawardena appearing on behalf of Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, informed that the Attorney General’s (AG) Department had not still received instructions from the Minister regarding the petition. 

He added that discussions were being held even before filing the petition regarding legal reforms to the country’s sports law. 

Earlier, the Court of Appeal issued notices to Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa and officials from the SLC Executive Committee to appear before the Court today and submit objections to the petition. 
SLC’s election of office bearers will take place on May 20. 

The petition, filed by 12 former cricketers, cricket administrators and civil servants, seeks the Court’s intervention to draft a new constitution at SLC before its next election.

Petitioners include former cricketers Muttiah Muralitharan, Sidath Wettimuny, Michael Tissera, and former administrators Vijaya Malalasekara, Kushil Gunasekara, Somasundaram Skandakumar, Ana Punchihewa and Rienzie Wijetilleke.