In a significant development, the National Constitutional Council has given its approval to the appointment of Professor Manjula Fernando as the Chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL). Taking over from former Chairman Janaka Ratanayake, Professor Fernando assumed his new role on June 23.
The decision to replace Janaka Ratanayake was made following a parliamentary motion that was debated and passed in May, in accordance with Section 7 of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka Act. The motion was prompted by several disagreements between Ratanayake and the Minister of Power and Energy, Kanchana Wijesekera. These disagreements spanned various issues, including revisions to electricity tariffs and the duration of power cuts.
