Cycling elections on hold until August 27
Four stay orders issued by the courts have prevented the Sri Lanka Cycling Federation (SLCF) from holding its elections until August 27. The elections of SLCF was due to take place under the patronage of Dr. Shemal Fernando, the Director General of the Department of Sports Development of the Ministry of Sports, as the Competent Authority, under the observation of a five-member Election Committee headed by Retired High Court Judge Gamini Sarath Edirisinghe. The appointments were made by the Minister of Sports, Harin Fernando, who no longer holds the portfolio after losing his parliament seat earlier this week.
Out of the four stay orders, three were issued by the Court of Appeal, following incidents related to accepting nominations for the SLCF elections. The related incidents are identified as the rejection of nomination of K.P.P. Pathirana, a former President of SLCF as well as a former Deputy Inspector General of Police, the denial of voting rights of the Kurunegala District Cycling Association, and the rejection of the nomination of Nimal Bulathsinhala upon the instruction of the Minister of Sports.
These three incidents were considered by Judge M.T.M. Lafir of the Court of Appeal, who issued the stay orders. In addition the officials of Meegoda Cycling Association had filed a case relating to losing their voting rights at the Colombo District Court, where Judge Sandun Vithana issued a stay order following the petition.
Attorneys at Law Piyumi Seneviratne and Hijaz Hisbullah, who argued the fact of the appointment of the Election Committee contradicts the constitution of SLCF, appeared on behalf of the petitioners. Hisbullah explained to the court that the SLCF Constitution does not provide provisions for an Election Committee to reject the voting rights of affiliate members of the federation, though it has the ability to reject identified individuals from using votes, and further elaborated that the Sports Minister has the authority to approve nominations.
The court instructed Deputy Solicitor General Manohara Jayasinghe and Government Solicitor Maithri Amarasinghe, who appeared on behalf of the Department of Sports Development, to file objections on August 27.