ක්‍රිකට් සභාපති වූ පසු එරාන් දේශපාලන අවුලක

Following the appointment of a new 'Cricket Transformation Committee' by Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage to reform the administrative affairs of Sri Lanka Cricket, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party has officially informed former Member of Parliament Eran Wickramaratne, who was appointed as its chairman, to completely withdraw from the party's membership.

This notification was made by Samagi Jana Balawegaya General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara through a letter sent on April 29, and prior to this, Mr. Wickramaratne's resignations from the party's Executive Committee and Management Committee have already been accepted by the party. The General Secretary further emphasized in his letter that this decision was taken because the party's fundamental stance is that sports administration should be free from politics, and positions in sports associations should not be held by politicians.

This new transformation committee has been appointed in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister of Sports under Sections 32 and 33 of the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973, due to the resignation of the President and the Executive Committee of Sri Lanka Cricket from their posts and the temporary suspension of cricket registration. The Minister has pointed out that this committee, appointed through the Extraordinary Gazette No. 2486/16 dated April 29, is not merely an interim governing body, but a long-term reform structure that will operate until the next Annual General Meeting is convened and new officials are appointed.

The other members of this committee, chaired by Mr. Eran Wickramaratne, include Messrs. Sidath Wettimuny, Roshan Mahanama, Kumar Sangakkara, Prakash Schaffter, Avanthi Kolombage, and Thushira Radella, as well as President's Counsel Dinal Phillips and President's Counsel Upul Kumarapperuma. The main responsibility entrusted to this committee is to rebuild Sri Lanka's reputation on the international stage by enhancing continuity, transparency, and accountability within cricket administration.