ICC approves postponing SLC elections

• Sports Minister meets ICC CEO in Dubai

By Chathuri Dissanayake

The International Cricket Council yesterday approved the decision to postpone Sri Lanka Cricket Board elections by two weeks following a meeting between CEO Dave Richardson and the country’s Sports Minister Harin Fernando.AThe meeting, which was granted upon the request of Fernando, follows the decision to postpone due to a technical error in the Gazette notification for elections, and took place last afternoon in Dubai, Fernando said, releasing a statement immediately after. 

“We were accused by many, both contesting and other interested parties, that because of our decision to postpone the election, we will be suspended by the ICC. The Competent Authority for Sri Lanka Cricket and Ministry of Sports Secretary Chulananda Perera provided explanations to the ICC as to why the decision was taken. It was a mistake made in the Gazette and was done following advice of the Attorney General’s Department. The ICC said they don’t have any issue with the decision,” the Minister said following the meeting.

“They gave their fullest support to holding the elections on 21 February as planned. We have got all the approvals we need,” he said.

Sri Lanka Cricket elections were postponed to 21 February from 7 February due to a technical error in the Sinhala to English translation of the Gazette, enabling Sports Minister Harin Fernando to appoint an Appeals Committee to hear election-related appeals.

The Sinhala Gazette had stated that a retired judge would have to head the committee. However, the English translation had missed out on the word ‘retired’. The Ministry needed to postpone the elections in order to rectify the Gazette and then appoint the committee and provide the required time for appeals to be heard. The Minister maintained that the issue was out of his control and was a legal matter, therefore the postponement was inevitable. The Gazette was issued by the previous Minister.

Sri Lanka Cricket elections have been postponed indefinitely since 31 May 2018, resulting in the ICC imposing a deadline, which was 9 February, to hold elections. Following the postponement, Fernando requested an appointment with ICC Chairman Shashank Manohar to present the case, which resulted in his meeting with Dave Richardson.