The Jaffna High Court this week issued an interim order against the proposal to construct an indoor stadium within the secure premises of the Old Garden Complex in Jaffna.
This overruled an earlier ruling issued by the District Court granting permission for the construction.
The court said the order would remain in force until the final decision on the application.
When the court asked the Attorney General whether it could give an undertaking that no construction would take place until the interim injunction was decided, the government lawyers sought more time to decide on the matter.
The Jaffna Magistrate issued an interim order against the government’s move last December to construct an indoor stadium with a budget of Rs. 170 million in the Old Garden Complex, a British colonial site.
The District Court later lifted the order, allowing authorities to commence construction within the premises.
A revision application was later filed on behalf of the petitioners against the decision, challenging the lower court’s decision.
The 5-acre property is registered as a charitable trust property as it was donated as a gift by Sir Percival Acland Dyke, the first British colonial government agent, in 1853.
The indoor stadium project was proposed by the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports with the aim of promoting indoor sports and improving access to modern sports facilities in the region.
After a meeting held on May 20, a 10-member trust committee comprising the current District Secretary M. Piratheepan, had earlier informed the lower court that it had decided not to grant approval for any development work at the site as several government institutions had been built in the past, but no revenue was collected from those institutions.
The court was informed that the committee in charge also rejected a proposal to construct an open-air theatre and a swimming pool.
Instead, it was proposed that a protective fence be constructed around the property as it falls within the purview of the Department of Archaeology.
Advocate M. A. Sumanthiran, along with advocates Tinuka Sundararajan, Mahadevan Rajeevan, Ravikumar Mayuri and Kanapathippilai Pirabakaran appeared for the petitioner.
The court is scheduled to hear the objection on April 30.
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