Test and ODI captains seek legal aid after IRD tagging
Sri Lanka’s Test and Limited-Over cricket captains Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka have filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal seeking relief from court to prevent the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) from categorising them as permanent employees of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
When the application was taken up before the Court of Appeal judges M.T. Laffar, Acting President Court of Appeal and Justice Sarath Dissanayake, Counsel Nishan Premathiratne appearing on behalf of the petitioners, submitted to court of the legal position with regard to petitioners. Following submissions the matter was re-fixed for support for March 18
President’s Counsel Kuvera de Zoysa with Pasindu Bandara and Sajana de Zoysa, on instructions of Sanjay Fonseka represented Sri Lanka Cricket and submitted that the two petitioners are not permanent employees but independent service providers. Deputy Solicitor General Manohara Jayasinghe appeared for the State in the matter. The case is expected to set a significant precedent regarding the employment status of national cricketers in relation to tax obligations and contractual agreements with Sri Lanka Cricket.