
Dhananjaya de Silva and Charith Asalanka the cricket captains of Sri Lanka’s Test and ODI teams respectively have filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal against the decision by the Department of Inland Revenue to impose taxing of the players as employees of Sri Lanka Cricket.
The Petition has also been signed by leading players Angelo Mathews, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis and 38 otherd who are contracted players on the payroll of Sri Lanka Cricket.
The Petitioners have cited Sri Lanka Cricket and its Executive Committee as well as the Inland Revenue Department as Respondents.
The Petitioners have further stated that it will be unfair to tax them on their earnings as they are not members of the Employees Provident Fund (EPF) and the Employees Trust Fund (ETF) among other contractual clauses.
Their Petition was taken up yesterday by the Appeal Court and further hearing was put off for March 28.
Why shouldn’t they be taxed?
Do they not avail themselves of any services provided by the State by default. Do they not travel along the roads, do they not depend (however fleetingly) on law enforcement, do they not have a sense of obligation towards fellow citizens less fortunate than themselves.
In short do they not consider themselves as citizens, or are they just practioners for hire.
Without taxation, a nation state cannot exist. It is up to all citizens to pay their taxes.