Interim Order on Purchase of E-Passports Extended

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Court of Appeal has extended the interim order preventing the implementation of the previous government's decision to purchase five million electronic passports until November 6. 

This decision was made by the Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Mohammed Laffar and P. Kumaratnam, during the hearing of a writ petition filed in this regard.

Epic Lanka Private Limited filed the petition, alleging that the previous Cabinet's decision to procure a bulk of electronic passports was made unlawfully, bypassing proper procurement procedures. 

The petition also highlighted that the Cabinet had approved the purchase of 750,000 passports from two foreign companies as part of the initial procurement for the five million e-passports.

On September 26, the Court of Appeal issued an interim order suspending the implementation of the Cabinet decision to purchase the 750,000 passports. However, the court decided today not to extend this interim order further.

The decision was made after considering the submissions by Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, who appeared on behalf of Acting Controller General of Immigration and Emigration Niluka Balasuriya. 

Dharmawardena informed the court that a five-member expert committee would be appointed today to study the approval given by the previous Cabinet for the procurement of 750,000 passports from the two foreign companies.

Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena said that the committee's recommendations will be presented to the new Cabinet.

Taking these submissions into account, the court decided not to extend the interim order suspending the purchase of the 750,000 passports. 

The petition is scheduled to be heard again on November 6.