- SLC’s ex-Vice Prez challenges Shammi and Co.
The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday (26) postponed hearing the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by former Vice President of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) K. Mathivanan against SLC President Shammi Silva and the body’s Executive Committee to 30 October.
The court postponed the case following time being sought by lawyers for the SLC President and Executive Committee to file submissions in this connection.
Afterwards, the court instructed the petitioner to file counter-submissions, and in order to facilitate the legal process, the former fixed the aforementioned date for the case proper to commence.
Mathivanan has challenged the election of office bearers for 2025-’27 to the sport’s domestic ruling body, which was held in late March, and is requesting the apex court to annul all appointments to posts of the Executive Committee, including its President.
The petitioner has named 31 persons as respondents, including members of the Election Committee, Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, Deputy Minister of Sports Sugath Thilakaratne, Sports Ministry Secretary Aruna Bandara, Director General of Sports Shemal Fernando, the Auditor General, and Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe Jnr.
In his FR petition containing 125 charges, the SLC’s former Vice President has moved the SC to grant him immediate relief by imposing an interim injunction on SLC and to instruct its Executive Committee to hold a fresh Annual General Meeting (AGM), as well as to submit complete reports of assets and declarations pertaining to three years as per new regulations absorbed to the provisions of the Sports Law No.25 of 1973.
The petitioner has requested the SC to issue an order to SLC to initiate a forensic audit linked to its allegedly improper financial transactions; to issue an interim injunction against the subject Minister preventing the use, allocation, and distribution of SLC finances by its Executive Committee members; and to deem that the actions of the respondents have violated his Fundamental Right enshrined in Clause 12(1) of the Constitution.
President’s Counsel Saliya Pieris appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
(JK)