SC fixes for support SJB’s petition against Yugadanavi deal

A fundamental rights petition filed by Samagi Jana Balawega General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara in the Supreme Court seeking an order quashing the Cabinet decision to transfer the state-owned shares of the Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi Power Plant to an American company and the decision to transfer the gas supply monopoly to the relevant US company, was fixed for support on November 12.

The Petition was taken up before a three-judge Bench of the Supreme Court consisting of Justices Murdu Fernando, Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Mahinda Samayawardane.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and other members of the Cabinet including West Coast Power, New Fortress Energy, the American company in which the shares were transferred, a group including the Attorney General have been named as respondents.

The petitioners allege that the decision of the Cabinet to transfer 40% of the Sri Lanka Government owned shares in the Kerawalapitiya Yugadanavi Power Plant to the respondent American Company is not justified.

He also alleges that the responsible cabinet failed to focus on issues such as the national economy and national security before making that decision. The petitioner further stated that the monopoly of gas production in Sri Lanka has been transferred to the respondent American Company through the relevant transfer process and that no formal tender procedure has been followed in awarding the shares.

He points out that this raises serious issues regarding the transparency of the transfer process.

Therefore, the petitioner requests the Supreme Court to rule that the decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers to transfer the relevant shares without any reasonable study violates the fundamental rights of the people of the country.

He also requested the court to issue an order nullifying the decision taken by the Cabinet to transfer the government shares in the Yugadanavi power plant.