SLC elections postponed to February 21
An error in the Sinhala to English translation of the gazette triggers need for postponement
Madushka Balasuriya
17-Jan-2019
A Sri Lanka flag was hung from the balcony of the visiting dressing room • Getty Images
Sri Lanka Cricket elections, which were set to be held on February 7, 2019, have been postponed by another two weeks to February 21. The move comes as a result of a technical error in the Sinhala to English translation of the gazette which empowers Sri Lanka's sports minister to appoint an advisory committee to hear election-related appeals.
The original Sinhala gazette had stated that a retired judge would have to head the committee, however the English translation had missed out on the word "retired", sports minister Harin Fernando said. Therefore, following consultation with Sri Lanka's Attorney General, it was decided that elections be postponed by two weeks until the error was rectified.
"It is because we had to correct the gazette, it was a legal issue," said Fernando. "I couldn't appoint a sitting judge. The gazette was done by the previous minister, and according to the Attorney General's advice we had to change it and give ample time for the new appeal committee to make their considerations."
Sri Lanka Cricket elections have been postponed indefinitely since May 31, 2018, after a court of appeal found that election protocol had been flouted. The ICC had set a deadline of February 9 for elections to be held. Fernando said that the recent developments were conveyed to the ICC, and that he hopes to meet with ICC chairman Shashank Manohar as soon as possible to explain the present state of affairs.