PUCSL Chief accuses its members of taking U-turn 

PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake

Public Utilities Commi-ssion of Sri Lanka Chairman Janaka Ratnayake yesterdays said that members of the Commission had taken a U-turn on the unanimous decision to seek legal action against the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to prevent power interruptions during GCE A/L examinations.

Speaking at a special media briefing, he pointed out that these members are being politically intimidated and were against the PUCSL Act to protect the rights of the public to provide electricity ─ a basic human right. 

“On 31 January meeting held online, it was decided unanimously that PUCSL will legal action against the CEB. Four members of the Commission participated and we have the video recordings of it,” he said.

With two members on 2 February resigning, another commission member has informed the PUCSL Chief in writing yesterday that she was unaware of the decision to take legal action against the CEB.

“I do not understand their rationale for opposing taking legal action against CEB. Either they are for power cuts during A/L or they are being intimidated politically,” he said.

Despite the difficult situation where commission members have taken a U-turn on the original decision, Ratnayake insisted he would not take a step backwards and will fight against all odds to provide uninterrupted power for 321,000 A/L candidates.

“PUCSL functions as an independent regulatory body. People should know what kind of people we work with to ensure their basic rights,” he added.

The commission comprises four members, but with its Deputy Chairman Udeni Wickremasinghe and member Mohan Samaranayake resigning last week, only three members exist. They include Chairman Ratnayake, Chathurika Wijesinghe, and the newest appointment Douglas Nanayakkara. 

Wijesinghe and Nanayakkara both have claimed they were not aware of the legal action against the CEB.

On 1 February the PUCSL filed a writ application before the Court of Appeal to obtain a writ against the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) to prevent power interruptions during GCE A/L examinations.