NEWS
OPINION
GALLERY
STATISTICS
INTERVIEWS

Court order suspends Lankan board

The Sri Lankan Board of Control for Cricket has been suspended, following a court order.

The board, elected in controversial circumstances last month in Colombo, has been stayed by order of district judge AMA Salam, until such time as a challenge petition filed by defeated candidate Clifford Ratwatte is disposed of.

Ratwatte, uncle of Lankan President Chandrika Kumaratunga, had lost the controversial election to incumbent Thilanga Sumathipala. Allegations of malpractise and physical intimidation had marrred the electoral process.

Sumathipala and his executive committee have been given two weeks to file objections to the order.

Until the petition is disposed of, the executive committee has been prohibited from taking any decisions. However, board spokesmen indicated that this was not likely to affect the preparations of Sri Lanka, the holders of the World Cup, for a title defence in England in May-June this year.