A fifth supreme court judge has recused himself from hearing the appeal filed by former minister Rishad Bathiudeen, who is seeking to overturn a court of appeal ruling that ordered him to reforest areas cleared near the Wilpattu wildlife reserve at his own expense.
Justice A.H.M.D. Nawaz stepped aside when the case was taken up before a three-judge bench comprising justices Nawaz, Sampath Abeykoon, and Gihan Kulatunga.
He said in open court that he was recusing himself on personal grounds.
The case has been referred to a different bench for hearing.
The case dates back to a writ petition filed in 2015 by the Centre for Environmental Justice against the clearing of forests in the Marichchikattu and Kallaru reserve areas adjoining the Wilpattu wildlife reserve, in which Bathiudeen was named as a respondent.
The court of appeal ruled that Bathiudeen was responsible for the forest clearing carried out to facilitate unauthorised settlements, and ordered him to fund the reforestation at his own expense.
The department of forest conservation estimated the cost at approximately Rs. 106 million.
Bathiudeen subsequently petitioned the supreme court to have the ruling set aside, arguing that it was flawed.
Justices Mahinda Samayawardena, Yasantha Kodagoda, Janak de Silva, and Arjuna Obeysekera had previously recused themselves from the same petition, making Justice Nawaz the fifth judge to step aside from the case.