Why was my electricity cut for a 7000 bill, but not for Namal's 2.6 million bill? A citizen goes to the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court has ordered that the fundamental rights petition filed regarding the unpaid electricity bill for the wedding ceremony of Member of Parliament Namal Rajapaksa, held at the residence of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Weeraketiya in 2019, be taken up for hearing on December 4th. A.H.M.D.

This decision was made when the petition was called before the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Nawaz and Sampath Abeykoon.

Since the Ceylon Electricity Board is currently undergoing restructuring, the court here granted permission to the petitioner's party to name the relevant successor company as a respondent in this petition. Attorney-at-Law Thishya Weragoda appeared in court for this petition filed by Attorney-at-Law Wijitha Kumara.

The petition states that a sum of Rs. 2,682,246.57 should have been charged for the electricity used for Mr. Namal Rajapaksa's wedding ceremony held at the Weeraketiya residence from September 12th to 15th, 2019. It also states that during those days, Member of Parliament D.V. Chanaka had requested the Minister of Power and Energy to provide security lighting for the said house and its surrounding area, and the Minister had informed the electricity authorities that the Rajapaksa family members were ready to bear the related costs.

However, the petitioner alleges that the respondents have misused their power to obtain electricity and defaulted on paying the relevant charges. The petitioner points out that while the Electricity Board disconnected electricity to his own house for non-payment of a monthly bill of Rs. 7,390, the failure to disconnect electricity at the Weeraketiya residence despite such a massive outstanding amount constitutes unequal treatment before the law. The petitioner requests a ruling that this has violated the fundamental human rights affirmed by Article 12(1) of the Constitution.

Meanwhile, the late Sanath Nishantha, a former minister, had previously stated to the media that he had paid the amount due for the electricity used for Mr. Namal Rajapaksa's wedding ceremony.