The Supreme Court has ruled that the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) must pay interest on security deposits collected from consumers when providing electricity services.
The court ordered the CEB to implement measures ensuring that annual interest payments are made on these deposits, as they are legally owed to consumers. A three-judge bench, including Justices S. Thurai Raja and Sobitha Raja Karuna, further mandated that the 11.67% annual interest rate—as stated by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka in the CEB’s motion filed on January 30, 2024—must be paid to both domestic and non-domestic electricity consumers.
The ruling was delivered today during the hearing of a Fundamental Rights Petition filed by the Electricity and Renewable Energy Consumers Association, along with its President, Mahesha Bandara Ilangasinghe, and Secretary, Prasad Bhathiya Amarakon.
The Minister of Electricity and Energy, the Secretary to the Ministry, the Public Utilities Commission, and the Attorney General were named as respondents in the case.
Senior Advocate Dr. Chandranath Dabare represented the petitioners, while Senior Government Advocate Sureka Ahmed appeared on behalf of the respondents.
