Chulananda Perera, the competent authority of Sri Lanka Cricket Board (SLC), on Tuesday made it clear that the rejection of nominations of Mohan De Silva and Ravin Wickramaratne for the upcoming election was taken according to law and regulations. Moreover, while rubbishing all the allegations from the disqualified candidates, he clearly mentioned that the appeal committee went through all the documents of both the parties properly.
In a press conference, held in Sports Ministry premises, Chulananda Perera further added that the appeal committee has strong ground in disqualifying both Mohan De Silva and Ravin Wickramaratne.
On Friday last week, just two weeks prior to SLC election, the Appeal Committee delivered a death blow to former SLC vice president Mohan De Silva and assistant secretary Ravin Wickramaratne by ruling that they are ineligible to contest the 2019 SLC election.
The decision had been taken considering an appeal which questions the eligibility of the said duo to contest, as both of them were in the SLC Executive Committee which was dissolved in March 2005 by the then Sports Minister, Jeewan Kumaratunga by issuing a Gazette notification, citing several financial irregularities and appointing an interim committee to the SLC.
After the rejection of nominations, though, Sumathipala side, as usually, has wrongly started mudslinging campaign, by stating that they have been deliberately knocked out.
However, Chulananda Perera dismissed their allegations.
“The appeal committee itself consists two retired judges – one from the Supreme Court and other from the appeal Court. In addition, the Sports Ministry had approached AG’s department for the opinion” Chulananda Perera said.
Sumathipala side’s another false claim is that Sports Minister’s legal advisor Panduka Keerthinanda manipulated things. Since last few days, Sumathipala Camp is deliberately attacking against Keerthinanda and falsely accusing him for things, he was never involved in. Chulananda Perera also denied these baseless allegations as well.
“He is the legal advisor of honorable Sports Minister. As the secretary of Honourable Minister as well as competent authority of SLC, I can assure that Mr. Keerthinanda was not involved in appeal committee matters” he added further.
