A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against former Finance Minister and President Ranil Wickremesinghe and several others, seeking the cancellation of liquor licenses allegedly issued illegally between the announcement of the presidential election and the election itself.
The petition was filed by liquor license holders Thangavelu Dharmendra Raja of Matale and Prasad Dinuka Priyadarshana of Buthpitiya. Respondents named in the petition include former Excise Commissioner General M.J. Gunasiri, the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance, members of the Bribery Commission and Election Commission, and Ministers Wasantha Samarasinghe and Bimal Ratnayake, along with officials from the Excise Department.
The petitioners claim that liquor licenses were issued unlawfully and without transparency between July 26, when the presidential election was announced, and September 21, when the election took place. They allege that these licenses were granted to supporters of the Democratic National Front and its allied MPs. Furthermore, they accuse Wickremesinghe, as Finance Minister at the time, of using these licenses to secure financial and political support from business figures during the election.
(dailynews.lk)
(This story, originally published by dailynews.lk has not been edited by SLM staff)
