The contempt of court case filed by the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) before the Supreme Court (SC) against several authorities tasked with the supply of electricity, namely, the Ministry of Power and Energy, the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC), has been fixed for support today (3).

The HRCSL filed the petition for the collective failure of the Ministry, the CEB, and the CPC to abide by the settlement reached before the HRCSL last week in relation to providing a continuous supply of electricity during the General Certificate of Education Advanced Level (A/L) Examination period.

The case was called up yesterday (2) before the SC Judge bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, President’s Counsel (PC) Yasantha Kodagoda and Shiran Gooneratne, where the legal counsels representing the CEB requested the court to fix the case for support today, stating that they required more time to consult their client. However, Justice Kodagoda PC raised concerns about deferring the case, noting that it was a matter of urgency. Accordingly, the respondent counsels were allowed to briefly consult their client before the case was called before the bench again last afternoon.

Moreover, while giving an undertaking to the SC, the CEB yesterday said that no power cuts will be imposed until the case was taken up for support today.

The Commission had named Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy M.P.D.U.K. Mapa Pathirana, CEB Chairman N.S. Ilangakoon, CPC Chairman Mohamed Uvais Mohamed and CPC Managing Director L.E. Susantha Silva as respondents in the contempt of court case which was filed on Monday (30 January).

During a meeting at the HRCSL on 25 January, an agreement had been reached with officials of the Ministry of Power and Energy, the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka, the CEB, and the CPC to provide a continuous supply of electricity during the duration of the A/L Examination, from 23 January to 17 February.

Despite the agreement, the CEB continued to impose power cuts of two hours and 20 minutes in the following days.

Issuing a press release in this regard on Monday, the HRCSL noted that the CEB Chairman in particular was “guilty” of the offence of contempt under the provisions of the HRCSL Act, No. 21 of 1996. “Notwithstanding the settlement arrived at by the above parties to provide uninterrupted electricity for the A/L students during the period of the examination, the CEB willfully and maliciously disregarded the settlement and continued with the power cuts. The Commission treats the said blatant disregard of the CEB to provide an uninterrupted electricity supply during the examination period as a gross violation of a child’s right to education. The Commission found the unbecoming behaviour of the CEB officials as an intentional affront to justice and in contempt of the HRCSL”.