Court suspends Maha Saman Devalaya’s chief custodian election
February 10, 2025 01:40 pm
The Court of Appeal today (10) issued an interim injunction suspending the election of the ‘Basnayake Nilame’ of the ‘Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya’ in Ratnapura, which was scheduled to be held tomorrow (11).
The injunction was issued after considering a petition filed by S. V. Chandrasinghe, who had been appointed as the temporary chief custodian of the devalaya, and the order will remain in effect until February 20.
The order was issued after considering the facts presented by Attorney-at-Law Chamara Nanayakkarawasam, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner, stating that the manner in which the relevant election is being held was unlawful.
Earlier, the court also imposed an injunction preventing the implementation of a decision taken by the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs to appoint S.V. Chandrasinghe as the temporary chief custodian of the ‘Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya’, after considering a petition filed by the former ‘Basnayake Nilame’ of the ‘Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya’ Migara Jayasundara, President of the Forum of Basnayake Nilames Hemantha Bandara and its Secretary Priyantha Bandara Jayasundara.
