Soft Ball Cricket Federation moves court over election delay

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Soft Ball Cricket Federation has filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal seeking an order directing the authorities to hold the election as soon as possible, citing that the operations of the federation had come to a standstill and that it was no longer functioning effectively for the promotion and development of softball cricket in Sri Lanka.

The Soft Ball Cricket Federation, representing its President Thisara Goonesinghe and ten others filed this writ application through Derek Fernando Associates seeking writs of mandamus, certiorari, prohibition, and other interim reliefs.

When the matter was called before the Court of Appeal, Senior Counsel Ian Fernando, with Counsel Roshanara Fernando appearing for the 1st to 7th petitioners, sought interim relief and requested an opportunity to address the Court regarding the issuance of notices on the Attorney General, the Minister of Sports, the Director General of Sports, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, submitting that the matter was grave in nature and involved approximately 35 respondents.

Fernando further informed the Court that an election had been held on 7 February 2025, at which all the petitioners were elected uncontested, in the presence of officials from the Ministry of Sports. However, the said election was subsequently nullified by Gazette No. 2451/25 dated 27 August 2025, by which the federation was temporarily suspended with effect from that date.

He further submitted that, since 27 August 2025, the federation had been unable to carry out its official functions, organize cricket matches, or conduct related sporting events. He stated that the suspension had caused grave prejudice and substantial loss to the federation and had negatively impacted the development of softball cricket in Sri Lanka, particularly affecting the youth involved in the sport. It was also noted before the Court that, due to the implementation of the said Gazette, other sports federations, including Kabaddi and Elle, had similarly lost certain sporting privileges and operational capacity as a result of the suspension imposed under the Gazette.

The Court observed that the matter was complex in nature and accordingly directed the petitioners to serve notice on the respondents. The matter will be taken up for support on July 21. Counsel Nirmal Perera together with Rochelle Rathnam and Dasuni Dassanayaka appeared for the 8th to 11th petitioners.