SC begins hearing of petitions challenging Yugadanavi deal
December 16, 2021 12:12 pm
The Supreme Court has commenced the hearing of Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed against the Yugadanavi Power Plant agreement, says Ada Derana correspondent.
Accordingly, President’s Counsel Manohara de Silva has started presenting submissions on behalf of several trade unions including the Ceylon Electricity Board Engineers’ Union (CEBEU).
The petitions were filed seeking a court order revoking the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to transfer shares in West Coast Power Limited (WCP) - the owner of the 310 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant to the US-based New Fortress Energy.
A five-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Supreme Court Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Priyantha Jayawardena, Vijith Malalgoda and L.T.B. Dehideniya is taking up the petitions.
They were put forward by Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Venerable Elle Gunawansa Thero, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), former parliamentarians of Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Sunil Handunnetti and Wasantha Samarasinghe and a group including Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thero, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara and Dr. Wasantha Bandara.
The Cabinet of Ministers including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, West Coast Power Limited, New Fortress Energy and the Attorney General are among the respondents in the case.
