Interim Committee SLC directed to maintain status quo
 

by Wasantha Ramanayake

The Court of Appeal yesterday directed the Cricket Interim Committee and the Sri Lanka Cricket to maintain the status quo as prevailed by yesterday afternoon.

In terms of the court order the parties should maintain the status quo until the court would make an order with regard to the application of interim relief i.e. staying the operation of the new regulation vesting the power with the Cricket Interim Committee to take over the immovable property of the Sri Lanka Cricket. The court made the order in view of the motion filed by the Petitioner Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary.

The motion stated that the respondent cricket interim committee had forcibly entered the Sri Lanka Cricket headquarters at the Maitland Crescent yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon challenging the authority of the court. The motion stated that when the court adjourned the matter on Tuesday (03), the counsel for the respondents were not agreeable to the suggestion of the court to maintain the status quo until the court made an order, on the basis that they did not have instructions. It stated that on the same evening respondent interim committee had entered the premises with armed Police and private security personnel thus intimidating the employees of the Sri Lanka Cricket.

President's counsel K. Kanag Ishwaran for the petitioner made submissions supporting the motion. Solicitor General C.R. de Silva, PC argued that in terms of the new regulations the interim committee only could gain control of the immovable property of Sri Lanka Cricket until such time prescribed by the minister, but there would not be any acquisition of the property as contended by the petitioner.

President's counsel Faiz Musthapha made submissions on behalf of the interim committee. Petitioner Sri Lanka Cricket Secretary Raveen Wickremaratne cited the Sports Minister and Secretary to the Ministry and the six members of the Cricket Interim Committee as respondents.

Petitioner challenged that the new regulation made by Sports Minister Jeevan Kumaratunga on April 21 to take over the immovable property belonged to the Sri Lanka Cricket was illegal.

K. Kanag Isvaran PC with M. A. Sumanthiran and Viran Corea instructed by M/S D.N. Thurairajah and Co. appeared for the petitioner.

Solicitor General C.R. de Silva PC with N.R. Pulle appeared for the Minister and the Ministry's Secretary. Faiz Musthapha with Uditha Egalahewa instructed by G.G. Arulpragasam appeared for the cricket interim committee.

The case will be mentioned on May 9.