The petitions were taken up for consideration before Supreme Court’s five-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Priyantha Jayawardena, Vijith Malalgoda and L.T.B. Dehideniya earlier today.
The FR petitions were put forward by the Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, Venerable Elle Gunawansa Thero, Samagi Jana Balawegaya, 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 petitioners have challenged 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.
During the proceedings, the Attorney General told the Supreme Court that affidavits filed by Ministers Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila with regard to these FR petitions are unconstitutional.
The petitions will be called before the Supreme Court bench again on January 10, 2022. – ada derana
