The Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Harsha Illukpitiya has been remanded by the Supreme Court on contempt of court charges for failing to implement the interim order on the implementation of the electronic visa process.

The court issued this order after reading out the relevant charge sheets against the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Ada Derana reporter said.

The relevant fundamental rights petitions were ordered to be taken up again on January 22, 2025.

On September 13, the Supreme Court ordered to file contempt of court charges against the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration for failing to obey the court’s interim order to suspend the implementation of the electronic visa system. 

The court also ordered the petitioning party to draft the charges and present it before the court today (September 25). 

The Supreme Court had previously directed the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration to appear before the court in person on September 13 with regard to his failure to implement the order issued by the court over the electronic visa matter.

The directive was issued by the Supreme Court after considering motions filed over the non-implementation of the interim order issued by the court regarding the issue. 

On August 02, the Supreme Court issued an interim order suspending the contract given to private consortium IVS-GBS and VFS Global to operate the visa issuance.

The court had issued this order after considering several Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed by a group including opposition MPs M.A. Sumanthiran, Rauff Hakeem and Patali Champika Ranawaka.