The Attorney General yesterday informed the Court of Appeal that the National Procurement Commission is currently conducting an inquiry into the Cabinet’s decision to approve the purchase of 750,000 N-Series Passports from two companies as part of the initial procurement for the supply of five million e-passports during the previous regime.
Senior Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardena, appearing for the Attorney General, made these remarks when the writ petition filed by Epic Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and its Chairman was taken up before the Court of Appeal.
SASG Dharmawardena urged Court to postpone the hearing of the matter until the National Procurement Commission submits its investigation report. He gave an undertaking to the Court that he would submit the report once it is available.
The Court had previously issued an interim order suspending the operation of the former government’s Cabinet decision, which had granted approval to purchase 750,000 N-Series Passports from two companies as part of the initial procurement for the supply of five million e-passports.
The Court of Appeal, comprising a two-judge bench of Justices M.T.M.Laffar and P.Kumararatnam, fixed the petition for hearing on January 23.
The Court had earlier issued an interim order suspending the operation of cabinet decision granting approval to purchase 750,000 N-Series Passports from two companies as part of the initial procurement for the supply of five million e-Passports.
The Court of Appeal issued this order pursuant to a writ petition filed by Epic Lanka (Pvt) Ltd and its Executive Chairman alleging that it is a corrupt deal that violates the tender procedure. In its application, the Epic Lanka alleged that Cabinet of Ministers former regime on September 2, 2024 has granted approval to procure 750,000 Nos. of Machine Readable Passports from Thales DIS Finland OY and Just In Time Technologies (Pvt) Ltd outside of the proper procurement procedure, circumventing the National Procurement Guidelines. The petitioners further alleged that the National Procurement Commission has also acknowledged in writing that the procurement had irregularities.
The petitioners have cited Public Security Ministry Secretary, former Public Security Minister Tiran Alles, Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, Cabinet of Ministers and several others as respondents.
Viran Corea PC with Pramod Perera, Hiruni De Almeida and Shamina Bangsajayah instructed by Neelakandan & Neelakandan appeared for Epic Lanka. Senior Counsel Buddhike Illangatileke appeared for JIT. Additional Solicitor General Sumathi Dharmawardhana appeared for the Attorney General. Counsel Nisala S. Fernando appeared for Metropolitan Technologies Pvt Ltd and Eraj De Silva PC appeared for former president Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Our Court Correspondent