P.B case fixed for Aug. 3; SC decides to summon all respondents

By Stanley Samarasinghe

The Supreme Court yesterday decided to summon all the respondents of the concluded Lanka Marine Services Ltd. case on 3 August before determining former Treasury Secretary Dr. P. B. Jayasundara’s application to the court.
The Bench comprising Chief Justice J. Asoka N. de Silva, Justice Shiranee Thilakawardana and Justice S. I. Imam ordered that the case be called again during the first week of next month.
Dr. P. B. Jayasundara filed his application to court seeking an order to annul his own undertaking that he would not take up any government post.
In his application Dr. Jayasundara asked court to declare null and void the undertaking given by him in connection with the Fundamental Right Application on Lanka Marine Services Ltd. that stated that he would refrain from holding any public posts.
Dr. Jayasundara was the 8th respondent of the Lanka Marine Services Ltd. FR case and court held that he being the Secretary to the Treasury had acted against the law and public interest and violated the provision of the constitution.
Court further held that Jayasundara had worked in collusion with a private party to sell public property.
When Dr. Jayasundara’s application was taken up before court F. Musthapa PC who appeared for him, submitted to court that since the case is concluded, it is a matter between Dr. Jayasundara, court and petitioners of the FR case not entitled to make submission.
Court then decided to summon all respondents to argue whether they are entitled to make said submission.