Two more petitions filed against sale of Yugadanavi shares to US firm

By Saman Indrajith

The Samagi Jana Balavegaya yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition before the Supreme Court against the transfer of shares of Yugadanavi LNG Power Plant at Keralawalapitiya. The case was filed by SJB General Secretary, MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

The SJB named the Cabinet of Ministers, the West Coast Power Limited – the owner of 310 MW Yugadanavi Power Plant at Kerawalapitiya, US firm New Fortress Energy, the Attorney General and several others as respondents.

Meanwhile, another petition was filed by Ven. Bengamuwe Nalaka Thera, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara and Dr. Wasantha Bandara.

They too have named the Cabinet of Ministers including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa as respondents in the petition.

They have said that the decision taken by the Cabinet to transfer the shares of Yugadanavi power plant to New Fortress Energy was unlawful and therefore requested the court to issue a writ order quashing the decision.

So far three petitions have been filed challenging the Yugadanavi power plant deal. On Monday (18), the Archbishop of Colombo His Eminence Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and Venerable Elle Gunawansa Thera filed a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court.