The annual election of the Sri Lanka Judo Association was held recently at the Duncan White Auditorium of the Ministry of Sports. A team including the President, Vice- President, General Secretary, the Assistance Secretary, the Treasurer, Chief Organizer and other committee members were elected.
However, a complaint has been lodged stating that Mr. WTR Fernando, who was contesting for this election to be elected as a member of the committee, is contesting illegally. The complaint was lodged with the Special Investigation Unit of the Sri Lanka Police Sports, established by the Director, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs.
According to the complaint, W.T.R. Fernando according to the complaint, Mr. Fernando had represented Sri Lanka at the KRA Cup in Korea in 2006 and the Jujiptsu World Cup in Paris, France in 2016, but did not participate in the relevant events and disappeared in those countries.
According to the complaint, according to the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973, those who have entered into an agreement with the government to participate in international competitions using such public funds and have fled to those countries, are not allowed to contest such elections. Section 5 (4) (n) of the Gazette Notification also prohibits the same.
The complaint further states that the degeneration of the sport is due to the inclusion of such persons in the administration of a sport who have brought disrepute to the country by not participating in the relevant competitions abroad with government funds.
Editor’s note by Ravana
An election committee is not permitted by law to omit a provision of an Act of Parliament. That is why there is a law in a country. According to the complaint, if the matter is true, the Elections Committee will not be legally able to change it by a later law or if the law has not been changed. Although the rules may be amended within the Ministry of Sports or from time to time and a committee is empowered, the Elections Committee shall have no power to override other laws enacted by Parliament. If so, Sri Lanka does not need a law or a parliament.
If so, criminal charges could be filed against the committee under the Ceylon Penal Code. Anyone who reads the Ceylon Penal Code has the ability to understand it well. That is the law. It is the responsibility of all authorities to act accordingly.