The leader of the opposition, Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the Samagi Janabalawega, has submitted a fundamental rights petition before the Supreme Court today (8).
That is against the excessive increase in the electricity bill although the Electricity Board has made a huge profit of 52 billion rupees in the last few months, that profit was not given as a relief to the electricity consumers of the country.
This petition has been filed saying that the electricity of 8 lakh electricity consumers who cannot pay the electricity bill has been cut off and that the basic rights of the people of the country have been violated.
In order to protect the rights of electricity consumers under the principle of ‘public responsibility’, the petition has been filed making the Public Utilities Commission, the Sri Lanka Electricity Board, the Minister of Electricity and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera, the Ministry’s Secretary M. P. D. U. K. Mapa Pathirana and the Attorney General as respondents.
This petition was presented by Mr. Farman Qasim, the President’s Advocate, representing the opposition leader Mr. Sajith Premadasa.
The Electricity Board has made a profit of Rs. 26 billion due to an increase in estimated hydropower generation from 3750 GWh to 4510 GWh and a reduction in electricity demand by 400 GWh, and another Rs. 26 billion due to the increase in unit price by 18%, making a total profit of Rs. 52 Billion.
At this moment, this petition has been filed against not giving the profit as a relief to the electricity consumers of the country and further oppressing all people, including electricity consumers and micro, small, and medium businessmen.
Speaking here, Mr. Sajith Premadasa, the leader of the opposition, said that due to the lack of an efficient power generation policy in the country, there are many problems in generating electricity and providing efficient services.
The opposition leader further said that the electricity price should be brought down and for that the Public Utilities Commission is responsible.
