The Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed against the declaration made by Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, together with several other authorities, on Sri Lanka resorting to debt default due to what they claimed as the ‘inability to settle debt’ was taken up before the Supreme Court for consideration today (10).
The case was taken up before Supreme Court Justices S. Thurairaja PC, Yasantha Kodagoda PC and Mahinda Samayawardena PC.
The Deputy Solicitor General appearing for the Attorney General, who is also a respondent to the petition, requested the Court to grant him more time as he had not enough time to prepare for this case. The Bench argued that the petitioners had lodged their suit on time, but the Registrar’s Office had forwarded it on October 06.
Nonetheless, considering the urgent need for this case to being heard, the Supreme Court ordered that the petition be called again on November 04, 2022. Are there any preliminary objections related to this petition, they should be filed before October 26, 2022, and are there any resentments to these preliminary objections, they should be filed before November 02, 2022 the Bench added.
Attorney-at-Law Thiru Amirthalingam and Senior Counsel Krishmal Warnakulasuriya appeared on behalf of the petitioners on the instructions of Mrs. Indunil Wijesinghe.
Trade Union Leader Ravi Kumudesh and Ven. Pahiyangala Ananda Sagara Thero lodged a FR petition at the Supreme Court against several individuals including Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL), Weerasinghe, challenging their declaration on Sri Lanka resorting to debt default making it officially a ‘bankrupt’ nation, and demanding that a verdict be made that the said declaration was made without authorisation and therefore, is unlawful.
CBSL Chief Weerasinghe, former Finance Minister Mohammed Ali Sabry, Secretary to the Ministry of Finance K.M.M. Siriwardena, the CBSL Monetary Board and the Attorney General have been cited as respondents.
The petitioners argued that the declaration on Sri Lanka being ‘bankrupt,’ which was carried out without the consent of the Cabinet and Parliament, amidst the possibility of receiving a pre-disclosed amount of dollars would be highly controversial and contributes to the ruination of the island nation’s clean record of debt repayment, making it a severe blow in the head against the Government of Sri Lanka.
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