SC defers sentencing in contempt of court case filed against Immigration Controller General
July 24, 2025 10:14 am
The Supreme Court today deferred the sentencing in the contempt of court case filed against Harsha Illukpitiya, to September 23, Ada Derana reporter said.
The Supreme Court was due to sentence in the case after Controller General Harsha Illukpitiya, pleaded guilty to the contempt of court charge.
The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Harsha Illukpitiya, is accused of being in contempt of court after failing to enforce a court order related to the e-visa issuance process.
On September 13, 2024, the Supreme Court ordered to file contempt of court charges against the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration for failing to obey the court’s interim order to suspend the implementation of the electronic visa issuance system.
The directive was issued by the Supreme Court after considering motions filed over the non-implementation of the interim order issued by the court regarding the issue.
On August 02, 2024, the Supreme Court issued an interim order suspending the contract given to private consortium IVS-GBS and VFS Global to operate the visa issuance.
The court had issued this order after considering several Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed by a group including opposition MPs Rauff Hakeem and Patali Champika Ranawaka and former MP M.A. Sumanthiran.