Suspended de Silva’s case to be heard next Wednesday
Deputy Solicitor General (DSG) Manohara Jayasinghe informed the Court of Appeal that Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage had issued suspension orders against Maxwell de Silva, barring him from serving as Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Sri Lanka (NOCSL) under the powers vested on him under the Sports Law.
De Silva has challenged his suspension, arguing that it was based on the recommendation of the NOCSL Ethics Committee and that the minister’s decision was unduly influenced by this recommendation.
The Minister of Sports, Secretary to the Ministry of Sports – Aruna Bandara, the Executive Committee of the NOCSL, the Ethics Committee of the NOCSL, and the Attorney General of Sri Lanka have been named as respondents in the case. The writ application was heard before Justices Dhammika Ganepola and Damith Thotawatte. President’s Counsel Ikram Mohammed, appearing for the petitioner on the instructions of Counsel Charith Jayasekera, argued that the Minister of Sports does not have the authority to remove his client from his position at the NOCSL.
He further noted that the NOCSL Executive Board had rejected the Ethics Committee’s report. In response, DSG Jayasinghe acknowledged that de Silva had the support of the majority within the Executive Board. Meanwhile, President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, representing NOCSL President Suresh Subramaniam, is set to make submissions when the case is taken up again on March 19. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially instructed the NOCSL to remove Maxwell de Silva from his position as Secretary General on January 14, pending an inquiry. This decision followed the findings of the NOCSL Ethics Committee, which charged him with misusing his position’s privileges.
President’s Counsel Ikram Mohammed stated that the petitioner would present further arguments for the writ application after the respondents file their objections when the will be heard on March 19.