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Justice Minister irked by delay in addressing privilege issue, contempt of court matter

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4 years ago

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… endorses President’s criticism of Parliament

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakse, PC, yesterday (08) said that the party leaders were yet to respond to his request for the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to examine TNA MP M.A. Sumanthiran’s criticism of the Supreme Court.

Minister Rajapakse said that he was quite disappointment over the inordinate delay on the part of the party leaders.

The Colombo District lawmaker said that he had sought the party leaders’ intervention through Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, about two weeks ago. The Speaker chairs the party leaders’ meeting.

The former President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) said that such criticism of the Supreme Court could cause irreparable damage. The Minister expressed the view that the Jaffna district lawmaker’s attack on the SC, pertaining to its ruling on the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, during the two-day debate on the new law, on Oct. 20 and 21, couldn’t be tolerated.

Asked whether the Speaker responded to his request for an inquiry into alleged breach of his parliamentary privileges by the reportage of the proceedings at the Fort Magistrate’s Court in respect of financial scams involving Thico Group of Companies, lawmaker Rajapakse said that matter, too, hadn’t been dealt with yet.

Dr. Rajapaksa told The Island that he raised the privilege issue on Oct. 21, several days before taking up the Contempt of Court matter with the Speaker. The Minister, who is also the Chairperson of MPs’ Ethics and Privileges Committee, said that he requested the Speaker to appoint another lawmaker to head the inquiry. “I was prepared to step down of that committee, temporarily,” MP Rajapakse said.

Unfortunately, the Speaker was yet to take action in this regard, the Justice Minister said.

The Ethics and Privileges Committee consists of Dilan Perera, Dullas Alahapperuma, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, Kabir Hashim, R. M. Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Thalatha Athukorala, Kanaka Herath, Vijitha Berugoda, Tharaka Balasuriya, Anuradha Jayaratne, G. G. Ponnambalam, Hesha Withanage, Kokila Gunawardene, Weerasumana Weerasinghe and Samanpriya Herath.

In a letter dated Oct. 21, 2022, addressed to the Speaker, the Justice Minister requested that those who reported his chamber appeared for Thilini Priyamali remanded in connection with the alleged Thico scam be summoned before Ethics and Privileges Committer and also dealt in terms of the Article 105 (3) of the Constitution which empowered the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka have the power to punish persons for Contempt of Court, including contempt of lower courts of original jurisdiction.

Responding to another question, Dr. Rajapakse said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe in writing informed Speaker Abeywardena that the Parliament was slow in implementing proposed changes. Dr. Rajapaksa pointed out that Parliament couldn’t absolve itself of the responsibility for its failure to establish Committee on Banking and Financial Services, Committee on Economic Stabilization, and Committee on Ways and Means.

Pointing out that there hadn’t been a previous instance of such a missive, dated Nov 3, the Justice Minister said that all political parties, represented in Parliament, should be concerned about the President finding fault with them for failing to take tangible measures to achieve, what he called, far reaching systematic changes.

Political sources said that the Opposition held up the entire process by adopting delaying tactics.


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Business

“ViYASA” National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) to be opened tomorrow (22)

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7 hours ago

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2026/09/21

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The National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC), which is being established under the Presidential Secretariat with the aim of removing administrative and regulatory barriers that exist among government institutions in relation to investment and industry and expediting these processes, will be opened tomorrow (22).

The centre is being established on the President’s initiative with the aim of bringing about a positive transformation in the industrial sector. The centre will provide solutions to issues that arise in dealing with the government machinery when starting and operating a business, while also coordinating with the relevant government institutions to provide the necessary facilities.

The “ViYASA” National Business Facilitation Centre (NBFC) has been established at Building C-80, Hector Kobbekaduwa Mawatha, Colombo 07, and is headed by Senior Additional( Secretary to the President, Seevali Arukgoda.

The centre will be opened under the patronage of Minister of Labour and Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning Dr Anil Jayantha Fernando and Minister of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development Sunil Handunnetti, with the participation of Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake.

The website https://nbfc.presidentsoffice.gov.lk is also scheduled to be officially launched on the occasion.

President’s Media Division)

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Court of Appeal Judge M. Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea appointed as Acting President of the Court of Appeal

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7 hours ago

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2026/09/21

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President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed Court of Appeal Judge Mayadunna Sri Mevan Anthony Edirimannasuriya Corea as the Acting President of the Court of Appeal.

The appointment has been made as President’s Counsel Nalin Rohantha Abeysuriya, who currently serves as President of the Court of Appeal, will be overseas until the 24th.

Accordingly Judge  Mayadunna Corea was sworn in as Acting President of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential secretariat this morning (21).

Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present at the occasion.

(President’s Media Division)

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President instructs expediting further measures concerning Sivarasa Anojan, sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia

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7 hours ago

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2026/09/21

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A discussion to review the further measures that could be taken regarding Sivarasa Anojan, a young Sri Lankan national who has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia, was held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (21), under the patronage of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The discussion focused on the measures taken to date concerning Sivaraasa Anojan and the further diplomatic and legal steps that could be pursued. Attention was also given to expediting the necessary further measures that could be taken to secure his release.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake instructed officials to continue the necessary diplomatic engagement with the relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia and to maintain close and continuous involvement in all further measures concerning the case.

Reaffirming the Government’s continued attention to the safety and welfare of Sri Lankans living and working overseas, the President also stressed the need for the relevant ministries and institutions to work in close coordination and pursue all possible measures that could be taken in connection with the case.

Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih, Deputy Minister of Religious and Cultural Affairs Muneer Mulaffer, Governor of the Western Province Hanif Yusoof, Secretary – Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Aruni Ranaraja, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe and officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism were also present at the discussion.

(President’s Media Division)

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