The Attorney General has informed the Court of Appeal that the National Procurement Committee has launched an investigation into the awarding of the tender for the purchase of five million electronic passports (e-passports) for the Department of Immigration and Emigration during the previous administration.
This development was disclosed by Additional Solicitor General, President’s Counsel Sumathi Dharmawardena, representing the Attorney General, during a hearing of the petition filed by Epic Lanka Private Limited. The petition challenges the process through which the e-passport tender was awarded.
The matter was reviewed before a bench comprising Judges Mohamed Lafar Tahir and Peega Kumaran Ratnam.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General Dharmawardena informed the court that the National Procurement Committee had commenced its investigation into the matter and had requested one week to submit observations on their findings. He further requested the court to grant a date to update the proceedings based on the progress of the investigation.
Meanwhile, President’s Counsel K. Kanag Iswaran, appearing on behalf of the respondent companies, requested the court to set a date to consider his clients’ request to lift the interim injunction that currently prevents the purchase of the e-passports.
The court is expected to revisit the matter following the submission of the National Procurement Committee’s observations.
