Colombo Royal College Principal’s rights petition rejected

COLOMBO: The Supreme Court has refused to grant leave to proceed with a fundamental rights petition filed by Colombo Royal College Principal B. A. .Abeyrathna, Daily News reported.

He had challenged the decision to remove him from the post of Royal College Principal and transfer him as a director of the State Ministry of Education Reforms, the report added.

When the petition came up before the Supreme Court, the Royal College Union and Royal College Trust submitted  to court that the petitioner had misrepresented that they were supportive of him while not making them respondents, which he was not entitled to do.

Deputy Solicitor General Viveka Siriwardena appearing for the educational authorities informed the court that the petitioner has suppressed the facts of material regarding serious disciplinary lapses on his part, in his petition.

Counsel who appeared for the respondents and intervenient parties moved court not to grant leave to proceed or stay the transfer as prayed in the petition.

Taking into consideration the facts, the Supreme Court three-judge-bench comprising Justices Sisira De Abrew, Shiran Gooneratne and Mahinda Samayawardana decided to dismiss the petition in limine.

The petitioner had cited secretary to the Ministry of Education, chairman of Public Service Commission, members of Public Service Commission and several others as respondents.

The petitioner said that in 2019 he was made to aware by the Royal College Union, the Old Boys Association of Royal College that the Ministry of Education has commenced a process to appoint a new principal under an unacceptable marking scheme made with the aim of appointing a Principal with only two years of experience and the said process of appointment was politically motivated.