Sri Lanka
Credits: AP

With the election of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) getting delayed, the country’s Sports Ministry finally took the matter in its hands. Sports Minister Faizer Mustapha, on Thursday (May 31), appointed the secretary of his ministry – to oversee the affairs at the cricket board.

Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal, on Wednesday (May 30), had suspended elections for the crisis-ridden cricket board.

Well, a further hearing has been scheduled by the court on the 14th of June. Mustapha told the journalists that he is appointing Kamal Padmasiri as the Competent Authority to oversee the affairs of SLC.

“Consequent to a writ application filed and an interim order issued, I have taken a decision with regard to SLC. I have appointed Mr. Kamal Padmasiri as the competent authority of SLC,” Mustapha told journalists.

Mustapha further made it clear that the arrangement is temporary. As a result, Padmasiri will be in charge until the elections are held.

“This is a temporary arrangement. This is until an election is held. According to the powers vested on me from the Sports Law Section 41, I have decided to appoint a competent authority. I took advice from the Attorney General and the Attorney General advised me that this was the right decision to take.” Mustapha asserted.

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Earlier, SLC’s ex-secretary Nishantha Ranatunga had filed a petition pointing out several irregularities pertaining to the election.

Ranatunga, the brother of World Cup-winning skipper Arjuna, was to contest for the post of President and Secretary respectively at the AGM. However, he had gone on to lose heavily in 2016 against Thilanga Sumathipala.

Sri Lanka's Sports Ministry Takes Charge of SLC

Meanwhile, the court has also sought an explanation regarding the case in its next hearing.

Ranatunga’s lawyers argued that the Election Commission for the AGM had been appointed illegally. The elections that were originally scheduled for May 16. However, got postponed on the advice of the Attorney General’s Department owing to the technical reasons.

As of now, Sri Lanka Cricket has found itself in hot waters following the sting operation by Al Jazeera exposed corruption in the country.

The Doha-based news outlet in its informative documentary exposed a curator attached to the Galle International Stadium willing to doctor the pitch.

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