The Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that the current Government will not proceed with the decision taken by the previous administration to sell eight State-owned enterprises, including Sri Lanka Telecom, Air Lanka, the Insurance Corporation and Lanka Hospitals.

The submission was made by a State Counsel appearing on behalf of the Attorney General when a fundamental rights petition filed by a group including Gunadasa Amarasekara, challenging the proposed sale of these institutions, was taken up yesterday.

The petition was heard before a three-judge bench comprising Justices Achala Wengappuli, Mahinda Samayawardhena and Sampath Abeykoon.

According to court proceedings, the respondents named in the petition included the Cabinet of Ministers of the previous Government and former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Presenting submissions, the State Counsel informed court that the present Government had decided not to implement the decision taken under the previous administration to divest these institutions. Instead, a committee has been appointed solely to oversee their restructuring.

Counsel Kanishka Vitharana, appearing for the petitioners, stated that in light of the Government’s decision not to proceed with the sale, there was no longer a necessity to continue with the petition.

Having considered the submissions made by both parties, the three-judge bench decided to conclude the hearing of the petition.