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Sexual harassment case cited in CPC dispute
A top Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) official who was cited as a witness in a sexual harassment case of a female employee claims he has been victimized by a top Ministry official as a result.

He has been granted leave to proceed by the Supreme Court in a fundamental rights petition filed by him. The petitioner, Director General of Petroleum Resources H.T.M. Jayewardene cited the Cabinet of Ministers, Power and Energy Ministry Secretary and Chairman of Petroleum Resources Development Committee (PRDC) P. Weerahandi, 8 others and the Attorney General as respondents.

He said the post of Director General of PRDC was advertised in the Daily News of March 15, 2004. In response to the advertisement he submitted his application. Mr. Jayewardene stated he was qualified in the field and had made presentations on oil and gas exploration in Sri Lanka at seminars held in several oil capitals abroad.

He said that out of many applicants he was selected to the post of Director General Petroleum Resources at a Cabinet meeting held on July 4, 2004 on a contract basis for a period of 5 years on terms and conditions to be determined by the PRDC.

He said a lady employee who was arbitrarily transferred from the Power and Energy Ministry and assigned to the Director (Policy and Planning) appealed to the minister against her transfer and stated that the 39th respondent P. Weerahandi had sexually harassed her while she was attached to the Ministry. A fundamental rights petition filed by the lady at the Supreme Court was granted leave to proceed and interim relief staying the transfer was granted.
Mr. Jayewardene said that as he had advised the lady employee to inform the Power and Energy Minister regarding the matter and as he was cited as the 3rd respondent in the case filed by the lady, Ministry Secretary Weerahandi instigated members of the PRDC to harass him.

He said that at a Cabinet meeting held on June 1, 2005 the ministers decided to terminate his services without giving any reasons. The Bench agreed to the petitioner’s attorney Uditha Egalahewa’s request to permit Mr. Jayewardene to be transferred back to the Ministry of Public Administration pending the decision of the Public Service Commission regarding this matter. The case will be heard on October 20, 2005.-T.A

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