Sri Lanka, Nov. 18 -- A writ petition has been filed in the Court of Appeal requesting the issuance of an order to prevent the demolition of a portion of the Trincomalee Sri Sambuddha Jayanthi Bodhiraja Viharaya.

The petition has been submitted by the chief incumbent of the temple, Venerable Trincomalee Kalyanawansa Wansa Tissa Thero.

The Director General of the Department of Coast Conservation, the Minister of Environment and the Secretary of the Ministry of Environment have been named as respondents.

The petitioner, the chief incumbent, states that the temple is a registered religious site under the Amarapura Nikaya in accordance with the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance in 1951.

The petition also mentions that on June 6, 2014, the ...