Opposition leader Sajith files FR petition seeking electricity tariff reduction

By T. Farook Thajudeen

Opposition leader and the leader of Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) Sajith Premadasa yesterday filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an order to reduce the arbitrary increase of electricity tariffs laid down upon the citizens by the Electricity Ministry.

The petitioner claims that this incensement of the electricity tariff is a gross violations of the Fundamental Rights of the citizens of the country and had cited the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekera , Power and Energy Ministry Secretary and the Attorney General as respondents and claimed that this crisis was the result of a series of malicious, unlawful or negligent actions of the public authorities.

Premadasa accentuated that the citizens of Sri Lanka under and in terms of article 14(1)(g) of the Constitution are entitled to the freedom of engaging in any lawful occupation, business, trade or enterprise,

However, due to the economic crisis within the country, the citizens are already facing difficulties that have further adversities on the life of the citizens due to the rise in electricity prices.

Premadasa claims this is a violation of fundamental rights of the citizens and of the petitioner guaranteed by the constitution.

The Opposition leader avows that an extraordinary increase in costs of energy and electricity alongside the backdrop of the country’s worst financial drop had further put the citizens on many hardships.

Therefore, the petitioner pleads that one or several of the respondents have infringed on the Fundamental rights of the petitioner or of the citizens of Sri Lanka by the arbitrary increase of the electricity tariff thus prays for an order from the Supreme Court among other orders, for an interim order to reduce electricity costs or tariffs.