The Supreme Court today (17) ordered that a fundamental rights petition filed requesting an order be issued to recover the compensation money that had been paid to former Ministers and Members of Parliament by the government after their houses and properties were damaged by fire, be taken up for clarification of facts on November 13.

The property damage occurred as a result of the violent incidents that spread across the country following the attack on the ‘Gota Go Gama’ protest site at Galle Face on May 9, 2022.

The fundamental rights petition was filed by attorney-at-law Dr. Ravindranath Dabare, a social activist.

The petition was taken up before a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Mahinda Samayawardhena and Sobhitha Rajakaruna.

A total of 15 individuals, including former Minister of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne, former Chief of Defence Staff Shavendra Silva, former Inspector General of Police Chandana Wickramaratne, former Ministers of Public Security Tiran Alles and Prasanna Ranatunga, Acting Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya, current Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala, and the Attorney General, among others have been named as respondents in the petition.

The petitioner states that following the attack on the protest site on May 9, 2022, violent incidents erupted across the country, resulting in the destruction of homes and property. He further claims that, as disclosed in Parliament on February 5 by Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, the previous government had paid compensation amounting to Rs. 1.22 billion to 43 individuals, including former ministers and MPs, for property damage.

The petitioner alleges that this constituted a gross misuse of public funds. He points out that even in the event of a natural disaster, the maximum compensation payable to an individual for property damage is Rs. 2.5 million.

He claims that these payments were made outside the proper legal framework and has requested the Supreme Court to declare that his fundamental human rights have been violated.

Accordingly, the petitioner further seeks a court order to recover the compensation funds that were paid, and to conduct a proper valuation of the damaged properties belonging to the ministers and MPs and to make payments lawfully in accordance with the established legal procedures.