Compensation awarded to principle due to unjust political transfer

COLOMBO (News 1st) - The Supreme Court today (June 28) ordered the Former North Central Province Chief Minister Peshala Jayaratne to pay a compensation amounting to Rs 250,000. A Fundamental Rights Petition was filed against the transfer of the Principal of the Nivanthaka Chethiya Maha Vidyalaya, Karunaratne Bandara on the 14th of September 2016 on the basis that it was unlawful. Former Principal of the Nivanthaka Chethiya Maha Vidyalaya, Anuradhapura, R.P. Karunaratne Bandara stated that on the 14th of September 2016 that he had received a transfer from the Secretary to the North Central Provincial Council Education Ministry. However, he also added that the Chief Minister was not happy about his transfer at the event to lay the foundation stone and that it was changed accordingly upon his orders. "After that, I received a letter of transfer. I appealed and made numerous requests to change this transfer and to continue working at this school. However, no official paid any attention to this" continued the former principal. When delivering the order the Supreme Court ruled that Peshala Jayaratne should also pay state compensation amounting to Rs 50,000. The Court also ordered that Karunaratne Bandara be reinstated as the Principal of the Nivanthaka Chethiya Maha Vidyala within a period of 2 months.