Contempt of court petition against Rishad Bathiudeen withdrawn

The Centre for Environmental Justice today (20) withdrew a petition filed before the Court of Appeal accusing former Minister Rishad Bathiudeen of contempt of court.

The petition had been filed against the former minister for failing to implement an order issued by the Court of Appeal, directing him to take measures for the re-plantation of the deforested area of the Marichchukaddi and Karadikkuli forest reserves located near the Wilpattu National Park, while delivering the verdict of a case filed by the Environmental Justice Centre regarding the issue.

The relevant petition was taken up before the two-member judge bench consisting of the President of the Court of Appeal Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice Chamath Morais today.

Appearing for the petitioning party, Attorney-at-Law Ravindranath Dabare requested the court to allow the withdrawal of the said petition reserving the right to relitigate, since a case is already being heard before the Supreme Court in this regard.

Accordingly, the bench of justices, allowing the petition to be withdrawn, also ordered it to be dismissed.