Island’s Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe, In a significant development, has green signalled former cricketers Writ petition to proceed for paving the way for Sri Lanka Cricket’s constitutional reforms, Cricket Age exclusively learns. Accordingly, the AG’s department is expected to submit Sports Minister’s letter during next hearing, which is scheduled on October 11.
The writ application was filed in February 2021 by a group of former international cricketers and prominent personalities at Court of Appeal, seeking the restructuring of Sri Lanka Cricket’s (SLC) governance and voting structure which they claim is behind all ills plaguing the country’s favourite sport.
The 12 petitioners in the case are former cricketers Michael Tissera, Sidath Wettimuny, Muttiah Muralitharan, Justice (Retd.) Saleem Marsoof PC, Dinal Phillips PC, Kushil Prasanna Gunasekera, Dr. Palitha Kohona, Rienzie Wijetilleke, Vijaya Malalasekera, Ananda Gamini Gardiya Punchihewa, Somasundaram Skandakumar and Thilan Wijesinghe.
The respondents include country’s Sports Minister, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) President Shammi Silva and 17 other office bearers of the cricket board.
Interestingly, In 2021, the writ petition was opposed by then Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa. However, his successor Roshan Ranasinghe has sent a letter to AG’s department, saying he has no issue in the said matter and Court Of Appeal can proceed.
Cricket Age understands that if it happens, it will be applying on all 66 Sports Bodies of the country, not only Cricket!
