Verdict on SLR AGM on Tuesday
The Court of Appeal will issue the verdict on November 5 on the petition made by seven Provincial Rugby Unions, preventing Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) from holding the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and making amends to its Constitution, following objections raised by the Attorney General. The provincial unions argued that the Director General of Sports, as the Competent Authority, does not possess authority to call in an AGM, by doing so he has caused contempt to the stakeholders, who hold the mandate to partake in making Constitutional amendments.
Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena PC, representing the respondents and the Attorney General, presented his objections in front of Court of Appeal bench comprising Judge Mohamed Laffar and Judge P. Kumararatnam. ASG Dharmawardena argued that out of the seven petitioners, the Western and Uva province unions do not hold voting rights, and that despite the Minister of Sports instruction to restore their voting rights, the minister does not have the ability to make such instructions to SLR. He further emphasised that the Executive Council of SLR has made decision at a meeting that it should follow instructions of the Minister of Sports. Dharmawardena PC further argued that the Minister of Sports does not hold authority to reinstate the memberships of Western and Uva provinces, as both regional unions
have not paid their annual membership fees during the 2022-23 period.
Dharmawardena, with Senior Solicitor Mrs. Maithree Amarasinghe, explained that the affidavits provided with the petition, by the petitioners contain false facts and that they have not complied with the due legal procedures.
Attorneys at Law Sanjeewa Kaluarachchi and Pulasthi Rupasinghe, who represented the petitioners under Faizer Mustapha PC, argued that the Director General of Sports does not hold authority to make constitutional amendments on behalf of SLR, and that he only holds the authority to conduct the election.