CA quashes appointment of Prof. Asitha Siva as Chairman of Medicines Regulatory Authority

By S. S. Selvanayagam

The Court of Appeal has quashed the appointments of Prof. Asitha de Silva as member and Chairman and Dr. Kamal Jayasinghe as the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority.

Justice Mahinda Samayawardhana in his judgment also ruled that these appointments are bad in law and therefore null and void ab initio. People’s Movement for the Rights of Patients (RMRP) filed a Writ Petition against their appointments seeking to quash the impugned appointments by way of Writs of Certiorari.

It cited Minister of Health, Nutrition and Indigenous Medicine Rajitha Senaratne, Ministry Secretary Prof. Asitha de Silva, Dr Kamal Jayasinghe, Members of the National Medicinal Regulatory Authority, Attorney General and others as Respondents.

Palitha Kumarasinghe PC with Harith de Mel appeared for the Petitioners. Sanjeeva Jayawardena appeared for some of the Members of the National Medicines Regulatory Authority.

Senior State Counsel Manohara Jayasinghe appeared for the Minister, Director General of the Ministry, Attorney General and one other Respondent.