Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne yesterday informed Parliament that he had received copies of 30 petitions filed against the Sri Lanka Cricket Bill, and 30 against the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill. The Supreme Court’s determination on the Bills’ constitutionality will be announced in the House before they are debated.
The Cricket Bill, presented to Parliament on 6 October, 2026 by Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage, would make Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) a statutory body run by a 14-member Board of seven Independent and seven Elected Directors. It would also introduce a three-tier voting system, under which District Cricket Associations would operate through Provincial Cricket Associations.
Some of the petitions argue that the 25 district associations would lose voting rights, and contests the President’s appointment as SLC Patron and the Minister’s power to replace an administration with a three-member committee. SLC has been run by a Cricket Transformation Committee headed by Eran Wickramaratne since the previous administration resigned in April. The Bill provides for elections within six months of its passage.