HRCSL justifies SC application over power cuts during exams

Issuing a statement, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) stated that the primary concern of the Human Rights Commission, given the impugned directive to the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) by the HRCSL was to protect the fundamental human rights of the Advanced level exam candidates.

Justifying the initiation of the application to the Supreme Court, the Commission stated that its first priority was to move for a direction by the Supreme Court on the CEB to ensure uninterrupted power supply for the period of the examination.

As per the HRCSL’s statement today, the second motive of the application was for contempt against the respondents for violating the directive given by the commission.

The HRCSL filed the contempt of court case naming the Chairman of the CEB, the Secretary to the Ministry of Power and Energy and the Chairman of the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) as respondents.

The application was dismissed by the Supreme Court which held that the certificate did not contain sufficient material to form charges against the second Respondent and the documents tendered by the petitioner questions the legality of the settlement and the process culminating in issuing a directive and a Certificate.