Disagreements between members of parliament belonging to the ruling party regarding the construction of an indoor playground at the Jaffna Old Park complex have come to light at the Jaffna District Coordinating Committee meeting. The meeting was abuzz with questions being raised about the location chosen for the stadium, its approvals and the current status of funds allocated for the project.
This issue was discussed in the district coordination committee meeting held on 14th October 2026 at Jaffna District Secretariat Conference Hall. Member of Parliament Ramanathan Archuna questioned the Fisheries Minister and Chairman of the District Coordination Committee Ramalingam Chandrasekhar about the current status of the construction of the stadium.
Following this, the ruling party’s Member of Parliament, Karutunathan Ilangumaran, also intervened and raised questions regarding who had chosen the location for the project and whether the relevant permissions had been obtained. Thus, the discussion regarding the development plan brought out the differences of opinion within the ruling party.
Questions raised regarding the location and permissions of the playground
While the project to set up an indoor playground in Jaffna Old Park has already started, there is a need to clarify the current status of the work. Although the foundation stone for the project has been laid, the court’s interim stay has been a major hurdle in continuing the construction work.
According to news reports, during the district coordination committee meeting, Member of Parliament Archuna Ramanathan asked the minister about the stage of construction of the stadium and how the funds allocated for the project will be used next.
Speaking on the occasion, Member of Parliament Ilangumaran raised questions regarding the procedure for selecting the place for setting up the sports stadium and the permissions for the same. These questions sparked a new debate in the meeting.
Media reports indicate that Minister Chandrasekhar responded in a loud tone to Member Ilangumaran saying that he should not speak without understanding. However, Archuna, Ilangumaran and Member of Parliament Jayachandramurthy Rajeevan continued to raise questions regarding permits and funding.
An important question raised by this debate is whether site selection, appropriate permissions and legal procedures are clearly established before a public development project is taken forward. Providing the necessary explanations at the outset in such projects can help minimize problems later on.
Court injunction, appropriation and subsequent proceedings
A critical aspect of the matter is that the court has stayed the construction work even though the foundation stone had already been laid for the stadium in the old park complex. As a result, the authorities have to take a clear decision on how to proceed with the project.
Earlier there were protests over the plan to build an indoor stadium in the old park area. Concerns were raised about the ancient trees found in the area and the use of the park, and a court case was filed to stop construction. Against this backdrop, questions regarding legal clearances and location selection for project implementation have again gained importance.
The question of what to do with the funds allocated for the project was also raised in the meeting. In case the work cannot be continued due to a court injunction, it needs to be clarified how the allocated funds will be handled, whether the project can be shifted to another location, or whether it will have to wait for legal procedures to be concluded.
Reports suggest that these questions were not answered in detail during the meeting and Minister Chandrasekhar moved on to the next agenda. Thus, there is a need to expect a more clear explanation about the next steps of the playground project.
What is important for the public in this matter is not to decide who is right and who is wrong among the political parties. The important questions are whether public funds to be spent on the project are protected, whether legal procedures are properly followed, and whether the people of Jaffna will benefit in the long term.
Sportspersons, youth and organizers of sports events can benefit if an indoor stadium is set up. But it is essential that the project providing such benefit is carried out with proper planning and legal approvals. At the same time, concerns regarding the environment and public use of the old park should also be taken into account.
Overall, the Jaffna Old Park Indoor Stadium issue has now gone beyond a construction project and has become an issue related to governance clarity, financial accountability and disagreements within the ruling party. It is imperative that the authorities concerned provide a clear explanation of the project’s legality, current status of funding and next steps. Only such clear steps will help to clear the confusion on this issue and protect public confidence.