Samagi Jana Balawegaya has filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court against the transfer of shares of Yugadanavi LNG Power Plant in Keralawalapitiya.

It was put forward by SJB’s General Secretary, MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other Ministers of the Cabinet, the West Coast Power Limited – the owner of 310 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant in Kerawalapitiya, US-based New Fortress Energy, the Attorney General and several others have been named as the respondents of the petition.

Meanwhile another petition has been filed challenging the decision to transfer shares of the Yugadanavi power plant to an American company.

The petition has been filed by a group including Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara and Dr. Wasantha Bandara.

The Cabinet of Ministers including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and several other shave been named as respondents in the petition. 

It states that the decision taken by the Cabinet to transfer the shares of Yugadanavi power plant to the US-based company was unlawful and therefore requests the court to issue a writ order annulling the decision. 

Accordingly, three petitions have been filed so far challenging the Yugadanavi power plat deal. On Monday (18), the Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and Venerable Elle Gunawansa Thero had also filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court 

The New Fortress Energy, in a recent statement, said it will acquire a 40% ownership stake in the WCP, and plans to develop a new liquified natural gas (LNG) receiving, storage and regasification terminal located off the coast of Colombo.

As part of the transaction, the company will have gas supply rights to the Kerawalapitya Power Complex.