15 February 2021 03:47 pm
The Court of Appeal today issued notices to Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) officials to appear before the court on March 15 in connection with a petition filed by a group of former Test cricketers and civil activists seeking the drafting of a new cricket constitution before the next election.
The petitions were filed by 12 former Test cricketers Muttiah Muralitharan, Sidath Wettamuni and retired umpires Saleem Marshuk, Dr. Palitha Kohona, Rienzi Wijetilleke and Kushil Gunasekara.
The petitioners said the SLC administration is under serious political and external pressure due to the current cricket constitution and therefore requested that a new cricket constitution be drafted before the next cricket board election.
The petition was taken up before a bench of Justices Arjuna Obeysekera and Mayadunne Coreya.
Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa, Sri Lanka Cricket President Shammi Silva, Vice Presidents Ravin Wickramaratne, Jayantha Dharmadasa, Thilak Watthuhewa and Secretary Mohan de Silva and the Cricket Executive Committee have been named as respondents in the petition.(Yoshitha Perera)