New judge bench appointed to consider Sports Minister’s motion

A new judge bench of the Appeals Court has been appointed for the consideration of the motion filed by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe challenging the stay order on the recently-formed Interim Committee for Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).

According to Ada Derana correspondent, Justices D.N. Samarakoon and Neil Iddawela will sit for the consideration of the motion hereafter.

The motion has been fixed for consideration again on November 16.

Earlier today (Nov.14), the Appeals Court President, Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne recused himself from the consideration of the motion filed by Minister Ranasinghe, seeking an order revoking the aforementioned stay order.

Citing the criticisms levelled at him since of late, by not only the minister, but also other Cabinet Ministers and Members of Parliament, the Appeals Court president said he would excuse himself from the legal proceedings in respect of the motion.

The motion was called before a two-judge bench comprising Justice Karunaratne himself and Justice Vikum Kaluarachchi this morning.

After the Appeals Court president’s recusal, the consideration of the motion was handed over to Justices Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola. However, the latter also recused himself.

On that account, a new judge bench was appointed for the legal proceedings pertaining to the motion.

Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe on Monday (13 Nov.) filed a motion requesting the lifting of the stay order issued by the Court of Appeal preventing the operation of the 7-member Interim Committee appointed by him for the SLC and the relevant gazette notification published in this regard.

The motion including the objections related to the relevant stay order, has been filed before the Appeals Court through Attorney-at-Law G.G. Arulpragasam.

On November 07, the Appeals Court issued 14-day stay orders preventing the operation of the seven-member Interim Committee appointed for the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and the relevant gazette notification issued by Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe in this regard, after considering a writ petition filed by the Chairman of SLC Shammi Silva.

Accordingly, three stay orders were issued pertaining to the matter: the first to prevent the gazette issued by the Sports Minister appointing the interim committee for the SLC, the second to prevent the committee members chaired by Arjuna Ranatunga from acting in their respective positions and the third to prevent the respondents including the Sports Minister from interfering the activities of the petitioner and the other officials of cricket board.

Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe appointed a seven-member Interim Committee for Sri Lanka Cricket, chaired by World Cup-winning former Sri Lanka captain Arjuna Ranatunga on November 06, 2023, under the authority granted to him by the Sports Law No 25 of 1973, while the previous board was also suspended.