The Court of Appeal has issued an Interim Order against the Sport’s Ministry’s Director General of Sports retired Rear Admiral Shemal Fernando to detest from making any amendments to the Constitution of Sri Lanka Rugby.
The court Order is the outcome of a Petition filed by seven Provincial Unions that told the Court of Appeal that Rear Admiral Shemal Fernando’s mandate as the government’s interim head of Sri Lanka Rugby is to only conduct an election of office bearers and not interfere with changes to the Constitution of Sri Lanka Rugby.
Rear Admiral Fernando was appointed as the head of Sri Lanka Rugby (SLR) by Sports Minister Harin Fernando who suspended the office-bearers of the rugby body for their failure to hold an election of office bearers in May.
But Rear Admiral Fernando had also indicated that changes to the rugby Constitution was necessary as he called for a Special General Meeting (SGM) on July 15 ahead of the Annual General Meeting (AGM) in which office bearers are elected.
The Western Province Rugby Football Union (WPFRU) was among the seven signatories to the Petition and is also the largest body with the highest number of votes to elect office bearers of SLR.
The Central Province Rugby Football Union, the second largest, and the Provincial Unions of Uva, North Western, North Central, Eastern and Southern were the other signatories to the Petition against changes to SLR’s present Constitution.
Changes to SLR’s Constitution were called by World Rugby, but an official of the WPRFU said any changes to be made must be done with the consent of all local stakeholders and properly discussed.
