The Supreme Court has ordered to file contempt of court charges against the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration for failing to obey the court’s interim order to suspend the implementation of the electronic visa system. 

The order was delivered today (13) by a three-member judge bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Kumuduni Wickramasinghe and Achala Wengappuli.

The court also ordered the petitioning party to draft the charges and present it before the court on September 25. 

Earlier today, the Supreme Court had directed the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration to appear before the court in person today (13) with regard to his failure to implement the order issued by the court over the electronic visa matter.

The directive was issued by the Supreme Court after considering motions filed over the non-implementation of the interim order issued by the court regarding the issue. 

On August 02, the Supreme Court issued an interim order suspending the contract given to private consortium IVS-GBS and VFS Global to operate the visa issuance.

The court had issued this order after considering several Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed by a group including opposition MPs M.A. Sumanthiran, Rauff Hakeem and Patali Champika Ranawaka.