Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has been added as a respondent in a legal challenge before Sri Lanka’s Court of Appeal regarding a decision made by his previous administration to procure passports from two foreign companies. This development stems from a writ petition filed by Epic Lanka Private Limited, which contests the prior government’s procurement of 750,000 ordinary passports and 5 million e-passports from these international vendors.
During the proceedings, the legal representatives of the two foreign companies voiced concerns about the interim injunction that currently blocks the passport purchase, claiming that their clients have suffered substantial prejudice due to the court’s order. They requested the court to lift the injunction, citing the delay in passport procurement as a result of this legal impediment.
However, the petitioner’s legal counsel argued that the passport procurement process lacked adherence to formal procurement protocols, further opposing the request to lift the injunction. They urged the court to expedite the case to reach a final decision promptly.
After reviewing these submissions, the Court of Appeal directed Epic Lanka Private Limited to submit any objections related to the request for lifting the injunction. The case will be revisited on December 9, when the court will determine whether the injunction should be removed, allowing the passport purchases to proceed.
