Writ Petition filed by former SP Governor dismissed

The Attorney General on Thursday (07) requested the Court of Appeal to dismiss, without hearing the Writ Petition filed by former Southern Province (SP) Rajitha Keerthi Tennakoon against the appointment of former Finance State Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal as the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, stating it has been filed without any basis.

Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, appearing for the Attorney General made the request when the petition filed against the appointment of Ajith Nivard Cabraal as the Governor of the Central Bank, was taken up before a Bench of Court of Appeal Justices Sobhitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola yesterday.

The Additional Solicitor General further stated that the Court of Appeal has no jurisdiction to hear the petition filed against it as the appointment was made by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. He further submitted that the petition filed by the petitioner contained a number of false and misleading information.

President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva, appearing for Central Bank Governor Ajith Nivard Cabraal, who was named as a respondent in the petition, also submitted that the petitions should be dismissed without granting permission to hear it. He further stated that this is a baseless petition.

President’s Counsel Maithri Gunaratne, appearing for the petitioners, stated that the petition was filed on legal grounds. He said that the petition was based on the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Central Bank Bond Transactions and the Audit Report.

He further stated that these facts will be presented to the court in due course.

After considering the facts, the Court of Appeal directed the petitioners and the respondents to file their written submissions on the petition on or before October 12. Also, the petitioner was granted permission to amend the petition.The petition was fixed to be taken up again on October 12.

The petition was filed by former Southern Province Governor Rajitha Keerthi Tennakoon.

The respondents were the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, former Minister Ajith Nivard Cabraal, Secretary to the President, Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and Central Bank of Sri Lanka Deputy Governor T.M.J.Y.P Fernando.