FR against Cabinet decision to open fuel import, retail sales to foreign companies

A fundamental rights (FR) petition has been filed against the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to open up importing, distributing and selling petroleum products to selected foreign companies in from oil-producing nations.

The application was filed by a group of individuals including Sri Lanka Podujana Progressive Employees’ Union.

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Power & Energy Kanchana Wijesekera and other Cabinet Ministers, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), Attorney General Sanjay Rajaratnam and several others have been named as its respondents.

The petitioners alleged that the Cabinet of Ministers has green-lighted a proposal that allows companies from oil-producing nations to import fuel and engage in retail sales market.

They further accused the government of attempting to privatize most of the filling stations owned by the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC).

Through this move, the CPC and the general public will incur a massive loss, the petitioners claimed further, adding that it is also in violation of their fundamental rights.

They have accordingly requested the court to issue an order preventing the implementation of the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers.