News

BASL asks govt. to inform SC how it intends to address crisis

Published

4 years ago

2022/07/4

Thilina Walpola

second case before five-judge bench also to be mentioned today

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Amidst economic chaos caused by the disruption of fuel and LP gas supplies as well as severe shortage of food and medicine, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has filed a motion requesting the Supreme Court to take up cases pertaining to alleged violation of fundamental rights due to the deprival of basic requirements of the people. A senior spokesperson for the BASL yesterday told The Island that they would be represented by Dr. Kanag Iswaran, PC, Uditha Egalahewa, PC, Suren Gnanaraj, Pulasthi Hewamanne, Lakshmanan Jeyakumar and Niranjan Arulpragasam instructed by GG Arulpragasam. The cases would be taken up today (04). The BASL is seeking interim relief.

The BASL has acted in terms of Articles 17 and 126 of the Constitution. The motion has been filed in respect of cases over fundamental rights violations under Articles 11, 12(1), 13(4), 14(1)(g), 14(1)(b), and 14 A of the Constitution.

The BASL spokesperson said that the cases were to be taken up today for the Counsel for the respondents to inform the apex court of measures taken to improve the situation. Copies of the motion, affidavit and the annexures have been delivered to the Attorney General.

The respondents are the Attorney General, both former and present members of the Cabinet, including Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, both former and present members of the Monetary Board, several other officials and three stare enterprises, CEB, CPC and SPC.

Responding to a query, the BASL Spokesperson said that the BASL had amended the affidavit to include those who accepted cabinet portfolios following the appointment of Ranil Wickremesinghe as the Prime Minister on 12 May. The official pointed out that a week after the appointment of the new Premier, the Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe had declared that Sri Lanka was suspending debt repayment pending negotiations with the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The BASL has brought to the notice of the Supreme Court several pertinent matters namely disruptions to the supply of petrol, diesel, LP gas, kerosene, electricity and medicine, the inability of the public to engage in income-generating activities owing to the disruptions to public and private transport and health services, food supply and court proceedings, and the likelihood of breakdown law and order.

The affidavit also includes a section of BASL statement issued on 27 June on the continuing fuel shortage and its impact on the people. The BASL has urged the government to inform the public immediately of its plans to ensure the continuous supply of fuel in the short term, present a roadmap for the fuel crisis, and to devise, after proper consultation with the relevant stakeholders, an effective plan to ensure the fair and equitable distribution of fuel to the people taking into account the need to ensure that public transportation and essential services are not hindered.

Referring to contradictory statements issued by those who represented the government, including Sagala Ratnayake, Chief of Staff of Premier Wickremesinghe, the BASL has stated that none of the respondents has so far informed the public of measures to alleviate the suffering of the people.Meanwhile, a fundamental rights violation case in which Prime Minister Wickremesinghe has been named as the first respondent as regards the economic crisis will be mentioned today (04) to fix a date for support. The case will be taken up before a bench of five judges.

Dr. Athula Kumara Samarakoon of the Open University, Sri Lanka, Soosaiappu Neavis Morais and Dr. Mahim Mendis have petitioned the Supreme Court. The application filed in terms of the Articles 17 and 126 of the Constitution has named the entire Cabinet of Ministers, including former PM Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa and Ali Sabry, PC as respondents. Among others named are former presidential secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundera, ex-CBSL Governors, Prof. W.D. Lakshman and Ajith Nivard Cabraal and ex-Treasury Secretary S.R. Attygalle.

Members of the CIABOC (Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption), too, have been made respondents; the petitioners have in a letter, asked the CIABOC members to investigate the mismanagement of the economy by former members of the Monetary in violation of Section 70 of the Bribery Act as well as lawmakers Mahinda Rajapaksa and Basil Rajapaksa. The petition cited the controversial decision taken to reduce a range of taxes in terms of SLPP presidential election candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s manifesto titled, ‘Vistas of Prosperity’ as one of the major causes of the current crisis.

The petitioners have stated that as at April 2022, the price of essential goods had increased from the previous year as follows: (a) The price of Petrol increased by 85%; (b) The price of Diesel increased by 69%; (c) The price of a cylinder of Liquid Petroleum Gas increased by 84%; (d) The price of turmeric increased by 443%; (e) The price of bread increased by 433%; (f) The price of rice increased by 93%; and (g) The price of dhal had increased by 171%

The petitioners have cited incumbent CBSL Governor Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe’s statement before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) on 25 May in support of their argument. Dr. Weerasinghe was quoted as having told COPE that the government lacked foreign currency reserves to pay its foreign debt or buy essential imports, and the assistance of the International Monetary Fund and foreign nations was required.

The petitioners have also quoted statements made by ex-Finance Minister Sabry to underscore the crisis created by what they call the wrong policies of the then government. They cited President Rajapaksa’s unilateral decision to prohibit the use of chemical fertiliser and agrochemicals as another reason for the crisis. Issues such as the government using foreign reserves to prevent the depreciation of the rupee have also been raised by the petitioners. Statements made by Dr. Ranee Jayamaha and Sanjeeva Jayawardena PC, two appointed members of the Monetary Board, before the COPE were also cited in support of the petition. They were quoted as having said that they received instructions to use dollar reserves to hold the rupee as Rs. 203 in spite of their strong objections

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News

Bangladesh bank on bowlers in bid to bring India down

Published

33 mins ago

2026/09/9

Priyan

Bangladesh will look to curb Shafali Verma's aggression [cRICINFO]

If Bangladesh take the route of seeking inspiration from the past to bring down heavyweights India on Thursday, they will have to squint their eyes and go back to pre-Covid times for their last victory against them in the Women’s Asia Cup. India have had the better of their neighbours over their last eight meetings, and last lost to Bangladesh in a T20I three years ago, when a very similar-looking Indian batting line-up was kept to 102 for 9.

Before that, Bangladesh had shocked India with back-to-back wins that culminated in their maiden Asia Cup title, by again stifling India to an underwhelming 112 for 9.

The Bangladesh team of today – as their recent fights have shown over the last two World Cups – is a version far improved from the ones of 2018 and 2023. They have scared teams like Australia and England (ODI World Cup) and India (T20 World Cup) in the last 12 months and they recently beat the higher ranked Pakistan in the UK by keeping them to 100 for 8.

It is this bowling strength that Bangladesh must bank on to try and bring down India, whose batting has stuttered every now and then, including a collapse of 8 for 46 against Thailand earlier in the tournament. India have had middle-order issues for a while now – it’s one of the things that kept them from a knockout berth in the last T20 World Cup – and Bangladesh will be itching to strike while the iron is hot.

They have laid the foundations in the last 10 days by routing Indonesia for 58, making Sri Lanka sweat in a chase of 115, and suffocating UAE’s batters to 69 for 9 with semi-finals qualification on the line.

Pratika Rawal, India’s No. 3 for this tournament in place of the injured Jemimah Rodrigues, hasn’t quite shown the promise in this format that she has in ODIs. Her 36 runs in three innings have come at a strike rate of just 109.09, against some of the lower-ranked teams in the world. Now into the knockouts, the time is ripe for Rawal to step up against one of the stronger bowling attacks of the tournament, especially if one of the openers doesn’t get going.

Swing bowler Marufa Akter is doing Marufa Akter things at this Asia Cup. She has struck in her opening spell in each of her three games so far – including the big scalp of Chamari Athapathuthu for 1. She has made the ball talk with her prodigious swing, and is the top wicket-taker in this Asia Cup among pace bowlers, with an economy rate of 3.27. She will hold the key for Bangladesh as they come up against a top order comprising Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma and Rawal.

Team news

After constant chopping and changing during the T20 World Cup in the UK, India have gone unchanged in the three games of this tournament. They will be expected to field the same XI again.

India (probable): Smriti Mandhana, Shafali Verma, Pratika Rawal, Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Richa Ghosh (wk), Bharti Fulmali, Deepti Sharma, Prema Rawat, Kranti Gaud, N Shree Charani, Nandani Sharma.

Bangladesh have used 14 players, in comparison, including a debut for 17-year-old allrounder Farjana Easmin. They may not make too many changes this time as the two players who came into the XI on Tuesday – Rabeya Khan and Sharmin Akter – played starring roles in beating UAE.

Bangladesh (probable): Juairiya Ferdous, Nigar Sultana (capt & wk), Sobhana Mostary, Dilara Akter, Shorna Akter, Rabeya Khan, Sharmin Akter, Nahida Akter, Sultana Khatun, Marufa Akter, Fahima Khatun.

[Cricinfo]

News

Establishment of National Trade Negotiation Committee (NTFC) and Trade Policy Consultation Committee.

Published

2 hours ago

2026/09/9

Priyan

Approval has been granted at the cabinet meeting held on 24-08-2026 to implement the recommendations submitted by the committee appointed to review Sri Lanka’s current Free Trade Agreements and future course of Free Trade Agreements in Sri Lanka.

Taking into account these recommendations, it has been
recognized the necessity of establishing a National Trade Negotiation Committee and Trade Policy Consultation Committee enabling Sri Lanka to follow a more targeted, sequential, and evidence-based approach in conducting negotiations for Sri Lanka’s future Free Trade Agreements and to ensure a sustainable and meaningful stakeholder consultation process.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Trade, Commercial, Food Security, and Cooperative Development to act as follows.

• Establishment of a National Trade Negotiation Committee to guide trade discussions conducted with potential bilateral or regional trade partners
• Appointment of the Secretary to the Ministry of Trade, Commerce, Food Security, and Cooperative Development as the Chairman of the National Trade Negotiation Committee and
the Chief National Trade Negotiator.
• Establishment of 12 subject specific sub- committees with the required technical working groups under the National Trade Negotiation Committee
• Appointment of Trade Policy Consultative Committee comprising of trade experts, researchers engaged in research relevant to trade field, business community, unions, civil societies and relevant public officers to instruct the National Trade Negotiation Committee on active and technical sectors, to submit the policy recommendations to the Cabinet of Ministers regarding the matters relevant to the trade agreements, to inquire sustainable ideas regarding the Free Trade Agreements, and to ensure the communication mechanism.
• The Minister in charge of the Subject international trade and the Minister in charge of the subject of Industry to serve as Co-Chairpersons of the Trade Policy Advisory Committee.

News

Justice Minister hits back at CLA

Published

12 hours ago

2026/09/9

Sahan Weerasooriya

Harshana Nanayakkara

By Saman Indrajith

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara yesterday told Parliament that the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association (CLA) was not an organisation officially recognised or registered under the Commonwealth Secretariat, but a fee-levying private association.

Responding to a question by Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa on why he had failed to meet CLA representatives, who recently visited Sri Lanka, Nanayakkara said he had offered them a date and time for a meeting, but they had been unable to attend.

The Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA) has questioned procedural fairness and other matters of concern in a report that deals with the Supreme Court hearing petitions against the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution. Among the issues raised by CLA President Steven Thiru, is the composition of the five-member bench.

The Minister said the CLA representatives subsequently requested another date, but he had already scheduled official engagements for the proposed day.

Nanayakkara said it was, therefore, incorrect to claim that he had refused to meet the CLA delegation.

“The CLA is not an official body accepted or admitted into the Commonwealth of countries. It is a private club whose members pay fees for membership,” he said.

However, the Minister said he was not suggesting that the organisation was “a bad organisation”, adding that the accuracy of several statements made by CLA members during their visit to Sri Lanka had yet to be established.

Nanayakkara identified lawyer Upul Jayasuriya as the CLA’s local representative and said Jayasuriya had sought a meeting with him.

“I gave him the opportunity, but he came up with the excuse that he could not make it as he was not in Colombo. Therefore, it is wrong to state that I did not give them time,” the Minister said.