A settlement was reached today before the Court of Appeal regarding the petition filed by national cricketers against a decision made by the Inland Revenue Department to impose withholding tax on them by treating them as employees of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The writ petition was filed by Sri Lanka’s national cricket players, challenging what they term as an arbitrary and unreasonable classification of national cricketers as employees of SLC by the Inland Revenue Department.
The petition was taken up before a Court of Appeal bench comprising Acting President of the Appeals Court Justice Mohamed Laffar Tahir and Justice Priyantha Fernando.
The court issued formal notices on the respondents, including the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC), following an agreement between the parties for an interim settlement.
Accordingly, Sri Lanka Cricket agreed to make the necessary payments to cricketers, and it was also agreed that the relevant withholding tax amounts would be remitted to the Inland Revenue Department starting from June.
In the event that the petitioners receive a favorable verdict from court, it was also agreed that the taxes withheld in this manner would be refunded.
Additionally, a settlement was reached between the parties on several other related matters as well.
Meanwhile, these petitions were fixed for argument on 6th, 14th and 18th November this year.
Court of Appeal (Acting President) Justice Mohammed Laffar and Justice K. Priyantha Fernando issued this order pursuant to writ petitions filed by ODI Captain Charith Asalanka, Test Captain Dhananjaya de Silva and national women’s cricketers Chamari Athapaththu and Anushka Sanjeewani.
Kuvera de Zoysa PC with Sajana de Zoysa, on instructions of Sanjay Fonseka, represented SLC.
Harsha Cabral PC with Vikum Jayasinghe and Manith Dassanayake on the instructions of Gamindu Karunasena appeared for the petitioners Chamari Athapaththu and Anushka Sanjeewani.
Counsel Nishan Premathiratne appeared with Shenali Dias and Sidath Gajanayaka on the instructions of Gamindu Karunasena on behalf of the petitioners Charith Asalanka and Dananjaya De Silva.
Deputy Solicitor General Manohara Jayasinghe appeared for the Attorney General.
