- Charges Colombo clubs unduly favoured
- Says those from the outstations overlooked
The Baduraliya Cricket Club (CC) President Sumith Perera became the latest petitioner to challenge the draft Sri Lanka Cricket Bill-already tabled in Parliament before the Supreme Court (SC), on Tuesday (20).
The petitioner in his petition has claimed that the provision contained in the SLC Bill or the Constitution, for the appointment of seven individuals as independent directors would not serve the purpose intended, as the appointments are confined to those without any knowledge of the game.
Perera when contacted by The Daily Morning Sports, maintained that the provisions included in the proposed SLC Constitution if implemented will deal a hammer blow to outstation clubs, as opposed to those based in the metropolis.
“The decision taken to appoint seven members is a violation of the rights of all stakeholders in the sport here,” Perera said.
“These seven appointments as I understand will be via those who have no knowledge of cricket and that cannot be accepted. It is wrong and unacceptable to allow such people to creep into Sri Lanka Cricket, and that is one of the reasons why we thought of challenging this particular Bill.”
He maintained that the provision should be amended to allow stakeholders to appoint the seven members rather than a nomination committee.
The Baduraliya CC President further stated that the new SLC Bill also provides unwarranted weightage to cricket clubs in Colombo and its suburbs, while disregarding those from the outstations.
He argued that under such a framework it will be futile to expect cricketers to emerge from the rural areas.
“Most of the Colombo clubs have been unfairly favoured by the new SLC Constitution, while ignoring the outstation clubs at the same time,” he opined.
“This is not what we anticipated from the Transformation Committee. Is this the so-called transformation that this Government promised to bring about for cricket, and if that is so, all we can say is, God save cricket in Sri Lanka” Perera added.
As per the gazetted SLC Bill 2026 the proposed Constitution for Sri Lanka Cricket is set to consist of a 14-member Board (seven elected plus seven appointed) who are to function primarily as independent directors.
The appointed seven members to the SLC are to be selected by a Nomination Committee made up of (Bar Association, Institute of Chartered Accountants, Ceylon Chamber plus a Government representative.
Speaker Dr Jagath Wickramaratne announced in Parliament on Tuesday (20) that he has already received copies of 30 petitions filed with the nation’s Apex Court opposing the proposed SLC Bill 2026.
Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage placed the gazetted SLC Bill 2026 on the Order Paper of the House in the first week of this month, while the closing date for the challenge of the Bill before the SC was scheduled to end on Tuesday (20).
The SC is due to convey its confidential determination within a 21-day period to the Speaker as per the protocol, after which it is to be taken up for the second and third reading and ratification with a majority vote in the Legislature.
Among the prominent individuals who have challenged the SLC Bill 2026 before the Supreme Court are Attorney-at-Law and former head of Legal Unit of SLC Dr. Chanaka Senanayake and ex-SLC President Thilanga Sumathipala.
Sri Lanka Cricket has been overseen since late April this year by the Eran Wickramaratne-led nine-member strong Transformation Committee-an offshoot of an interim committee concept, following the abrupt resignation of Shammi Silva and his Ex-Co.
Silva who still had 11-months left to serve in his fourth term after the AGM of 2023, had faced persistent allegations of corruption and mismanagement of SLC funds, while record revenues did not necessarily translate to positive results on the pitch bringing forth a public outcry for his head.
Reportedly the President had negotiated a smooth exit of Silva and his Ex-Co, with the Government having shrewdly termed it as voluntary resignation, in order to avoid an ICC ban following a similar predicament faced by the nation in 2023.
However, the ICC which does not approve interim arrangements in member nations, has already barred Sri Lanka from its board meetings, and have in effect punished the country by stripping it of its host rights of the maiden Women’s Champions Trophy and handing it to India next year.