The communication was made by a State Counsel representing the Attorney General during the hearing of a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara and others. The petition had challenged the sale of these strategic entities, which included Sri Lanka Telecom (SLT), SriLankan Airlines, the Sri Lanka Insurance Corporation (SLIC), and Lanka Hospitals.
The case was taken up before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Achala Wengappuli, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Sampath Abeykoon. The respondents named in the petition included the former Cabinet of Ministers and former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Providing further details to the court, the State Counsel clarified that the current administration has decided against implementing the prior divestment plans. Instead, the government has appointed a specialized committee tasked solely with the "restructuring" of these companies to improve efficiency and stability, rather than pursuing a total sale.
Following this notification, Attorney-at-Law Kanishka Vitharana, appearing for the petitioners, informed the court that there was no longer a requirement to maintain the petition given that the government has officially abandoned the sale process.
After considering the submissions from both parties, the Supreme Court bench decided to conclude the proceedings regarding the petition.
