The Ceylon Teachers’ Union (CTU) has filed a petition at the Supreme Court, requesting that an order be issued preventing the imposing of power cuts during national examinations.

The relevant petition was filed by CTU’s General Secretary, Joseph Stalin, with the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy, the Chairman of the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka being named amongst the respondents.

The petitioners claimed that although a settlement was reached between the relevant parties before the HRCSL that an uninterrupted supply of power will be provided during the period in which the 2022 GCE Advanced Level examination is being held, the aforementioned parties failed to abide by the settlement, which, in turn, resulted to the violation of the basic fundamental rights of those students sitting for the exam.

The petition further stated that the implementation of such power cuts have also caused a great disadvantage to the students.

Thus, in their petition, CTU called for an order to be issued against the respondents, preventing the implementation of power cuts during the period in which any national exams are being held.

They also requested the Supreme Court that an investigation be conducted into this matter.

Meanwhile, the HRCSL too, filed a case of Contempt of Court against the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy, CEB Chairman and the Chairman of CPC, on account that they failed to abide by the agreement reached pertaining to the uninterrupted supply of electricity during the 2022 GCE Advanced Level examination, which commenced on 23 January, and is expected to go on until 17 February.

Issuing a statement, the commission stated that in the aforesaid circumstances in particular the Chairman of the CEB is guilty of the offence of contempt under the provisions of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka Act No. 21 of 1996. 

The Commission alleges that by notwithstanding the settlement arrived by the above parties to provide uninterrupted electricity for the A/L students during the period of the examination, the CEB willfully and maliciously disregarded the settlement and continued with the power cuts.