The Court of Appeal Today issued an interim order preventing the implementation of a gazette notification issued by the Minister of Sports in relation to the regulation of activities of sports associations including Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), until the hearing of the writ petition filed by the SLC and several sports associations is concluded, Cricket Age Exclusively learns. Further, the petitioning party was ordered to file any relevant contradictions before June 12, whereas the petition was ordered to be recalled on June 22. Accordingly, Sports Ministry can’t stop SLC election until June, which are anyway scheduled on May 20.
The petitions point out that the Minister of Sports has issued a series of regulations on December 14, with regard to the matters including the Tenure of Sports Associations, holding elections, term of office of the positions held in sports associations and age limitations.
“Following the interim order, SLC can go ahead with the election as scheduled with nominations deadline ending tomorrow” a well placed source told Cricket Age.
It all started when earlier this year, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe published a gazette notification, which disqualifies Sports administrators above 70 year of age and other new regulations. It followed by another big blow to SLC, as a 6-members committee, appointed by the Sports Minister, found enough ground to dissolve the Board. Following the Inquiry, a recommendation was made in the 63-page report to the Minister of Sports to exercise his powers under the Sports Law and regulations to suspend or cancel SLC’s affiliation with the Ministry.
However, both the decisions of the Sports Minister were challenged in courts. SLC President Shammi Silva and Secretary Mohan de Silva filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal to quash the report as well as against the gazette notification.
