”I was deprived of Guardianship of Devale”

Mr. Padmasiri Ranjith Adikaram of No.39 Dehiwala Road, Pepiliyana, Boralesgamuwa has complained to the Kataragama Police that he has not been offered the post of guardian of the historic Ruhunu Maha Devalaya in Kataragama despite of the fact that the Supreme Court had ruled that it was his lawful and traditional heritage. According to his complaint more than one year has passed since an order had been given by the Supreme Court.

He had filed action in the District Court in Mt.lavinia in 1997 (Case No. 258/97) and it had been settled on 13th December 2005 by the then Basnayaka Nilame, Pradeep Neelanga Dela that one month would be reserved each year for him.

He said that various parties had sent petitions to many courts against this order and that he had won the case .However, a former Basnayaka Nilame Mr. Shasheendra Rajapaksa had also sent a petition challenging it but it had been rejected by a bench of three judges. Every Basnayaka Nilame should be bound to carry out the order given by the court he says.

He has mentioned that after carrying out the writ issued by the Mt. Lavinia District Court by the fiscal officer of Tissamaharama court, according to the Supreme Court order, the period from 12th February to 21st of March 2015 had been allocated to him by a letter sent by the then Basnayaka Nilame, Shasheendra Rajapaksa .

However, he could not assume duties because a person named Adhikari Mudiyanselage Dayananda, a secretary of the Devale had sent a fundamental rights petition to the Supreme court challenging his appointment on 7/7/2014 (according to Case No. 189/2014). Although

He had filed action in the District Court in Mt.lavinia in 1997 (Case No. 258/97) and it had been settled on 13th December 2005 by the then Basnayaka Nilame, Pradeep Neelanga Dela that one month would be reserved each year for him

this petition had been rejected by a three judge bench, including former Chief Justice Sri Pavan, and the Basnayaka Nimale had been asked to allocate a month to him, no response had been received . It has been mentioned in the complaint that he has also not answered the calls given to his mobile phone.

In his compliant, he has mentioned that the orders given by the District Court and the Supreme Court have not been carried out.