Fresh Cabinet Probe into Sri Lanka's E-Visa Contracts

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Attorney General today informed the Supreme Court that the current Cabinet of Ministers has appointed a subcommittee to examine the legality of agreements entered into with private companies for the issuance of electronic visas during the tenure of the previous government.

The disclosure was made by Additional Solicitor General Viveka Siriwardena, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, when several Fundamental Rights petitions challenging the relevant Cabinet decision were taken up before the Supreme Court.

The petitions were filed by former parliamentarians President's Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran and Patali Champika Ranawaka, as well as current MP Rauff Hakeem and several others.

The matter was called before a Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Arjuna Obeyesekere.

Making submissions before court, Additional Solicitor General Viveka Siriwardena stated that the present Cabinet had appointed a subcommittee to re-examine the legality of agreements entered into with private companies in connection with the electronic visa issuance process.

She informed the court that discussions relating to the matter are currently underway and requested a date to update the court on the progress of those deliberations.

At that point, President's Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, appearing as one of the petitioners, submitted that members of the current Cabinet had been named as respondents in the petitions.

Accordingly, he told the court that notices should be issued on the respondents.

He further informed the bench that the petitions could then proceed to hearing.

After considering the submissions, the bench headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena fixed September 29 for the matter to be called again to receive an update.