FR filed against hand-over or lease of state property to Selandiva

COLOMBO (News 1st); A fundamental rights application was filed with the Supreme Court on Wednesday (30) requesting an order be made on the Finance Secretary preventing any state-owned property from being handed over or leased to Selendiva Investments or Selendiva Leisure Investments.

The FR was filed by Engineer Kapila Renuka Perera and both Selendiva Investments and Selendiva Leisure Investments are entities set up by the government.

The petitioner states that several companies that are owned by the government and which the government holds a majority stake have already been handed over or leased to Selendiva Investments or Selendiva Leisure Investments, without reaching an agreement with the Cabinet of Ministers.

The petitioner pointed out that the hand-over of government property in such a manner is a violation of Sri Lanka's Constitution and the Financial Regulations of the Government of Sri Lanka.

The petition notes that such a process threatens the country's sovereignty and violates the fundamental rights of the citizens of the country.

The petitioner requests the Chief Justice to appoint a special bench to consider the application.

The Attorney General, Finance Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Finance Secretary S. R. Attygalle, Auditor General, Selendiva Investments, Registrar of Companies, Canwill Holdings (PVT_ Limited, The Monetary Board of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, The Urban Development Authority, Cabinet Secretary, Selendiva Leasure Investments, Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation were named as respondents among others.