Fearing that Country’s Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe is deliberately delaying the hearing of their Injunction plea at court of appeal against gazette notification, the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) top brass has called for an emergency Executive Committee (ExCo) meeting today, Cricket Age Exclusively learns.
It all started when earlier this year, Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe published a gazette notification, which disqualifies Sports administrators above 70 year of age and other new regulations. It followed by another big blow to SLC, as a 6-members committee, appointed by the Sports Minister, found enough ground to dissolve the Board. Following the Inquiry, a recommendation was made in the 63-page report to the Minister of Sports to exercise his powers under the Sports Law and regulations to suspend or cancel SLC’s affiliation with the Ministry.
However, both the decisions of the Sports Minister were challenged in courts. SLC President Shammi Silva and Secretary Mohan de Silva filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal to quash the report as well as against the gazette notification.
Earlier this week, Court was supposed to give It’s verdict on gazette notification case. However, for some unknown reason, Ministry’s lawyer didn’t appear, thus verdict was deferred until Friday. On 6-members committee’s findings case, the government Auditor is expected to submit the report to court on 27th.
Interestingly, nominations deadline for the forthcoming SLC election is also ending on February 27. Thus, rumours are spreading that Roshan Ranasinghe, who has eventually become a Cricket Minister Ignoring all other Sports in the Island, deliberately delaying court process, In order to stop present SLC officials from putting their nominations!
Cricket Age understands that though one of the agenda of today’s emergency ExCo is to pass the accounts, Maitland Place’s bosses will mainly be discussing their next step if Court’s verdict delays beyond 27th or goes against them!
If tomorrow’s court verdict in gazette notification writ goes against SLC, then present secretary Mohan de Silva and Vice President Jayantha Dharmadasa will automatically out of the election race due to 70 years age criteria.
Another notable fact is that even though Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe has informed Court that he would be taking International Cricket Council (ICC) assistance and advice in drafting new constitution for the SLC, he has, till date not contacted the game’s governing body!
