Legal battle looms large after ‘backdated’ gazette

by Rex Clementine

Sri Lanka Cricket elections scheduled for May could end up in turmoil after the party that has challenged the current administration accused Sports Minister Namal Rajapaksa of backdating a gazette notification in support of the current office bearers.  

An extraordinary gazette notification that has been circulated via social media indicates that the Sports Minister had given authorization for SLC Executive Committee headed by Shammi Silva that they could function in their offices till April although their terms ended on the 21st of February.

Shammi Silva, SLC secretary Mohan de Silva and Treasurer Lasantha Wickremasinghe will all become ineligible to contest the elections after they failed to submit the audited accounts by 20th of February. Now, the gazette issued by the Sports Minister, dated 15th February makes SLC Ex Co legal and therefore their submission of accounts on the 25th of February also becomes valid.

However, there will be several questions raised on the matter such as; why the Sports Minister asked the Attorney General’s department as to on which date the tenure of SLC Ex-Co ended. Shammi Silva’s committee was elected on the 20th of February 2019 and accordingly their two year term ended on the 20th of February 2021, Attorney General had informed the Minister  of Sports.  

Failure to submit audited accounts makes the President, Secretary and Treasurer of a sporting body ineligible to contest subsequent elections.

Since the Extraordinary Gazette notification dated 15th February became public, the Sports Minister has appointed a five member committee to run the affairs of SLC. That is an indication that the Minister has followed the Attorney General’s directive that the term of Shammi Silva’s committee is over. 

The Minister told The Island that he will respond today. 

Sources said that the issuing of the backdated Gazette notification was done due to technical reasons. For example, if SLC Executive Committee’s tenure had ended on the 21st of April, their appointment of Tom Moody as Director of Cricket also becomes illegal.

Shammi Silva’s camp had expressed their confidence of an overwhelming win at the SLC elections. The best chance of their rivals – K. Mathivanan, Nishantha Ranatunga and Bandula Warnaprura – had was to stop the present administrators by contesting the elections – sources said.

Sports Minister Rajapaksa clipped Shammi Silva’s Executive Committee’s wing when he appointed a high profile Cricket Committee comprising several former captains. The Ex Co had been adamant that they will not change the First Class structure where 24 teams compete. However, since Aravinda de Silva’s Cricket Committee took charge, the other Silva heading the Ex Co has shown signs of willingness for a reduced First Class tournament.