News
Suspension of printing of ballot paper: EC urged to question Govt. Printer
By Saman Indrajith
The JVP-led NPP yesterday called on the National Elections Commission to summon the Government Printer, Gangani Liyanage, and to inquire from her who had asked her to suspend the printing of ballot papers for the March 09 local council polls.
Addressing the media at the party headquarters, former JVP MP and NPP national executive Committee Member Sunil Handunnetti said: “We have information she was summoned to the President’s House and pressured to stop printing ballot papers. This is an undue influence on a public official. We call on the Government Printer to stand against these pressures and work for the benefit of the people.”
“The process of printing ballot papers and other material for the election has abruptly been suspended owing to pressure and influence. We call on the Government Printer not to succumb to political pressure and act in the interests of the people. We also call on the Elections Commission to summon her and question her on these pressures. We checked this issue and found that the Department of Government Printing has not suspended any other work. Printing of other materials is in progress without any problem. Only the printing of ballot papers has been suspended. The Department has a special team of workers for this purpose. The reason that has been given is an issue of not having funds for making additional payments and overtime payments for the workers involved in printing the ballot papers. It is a known fact that such payments are paid very much later. There has been no procedure of making such payments in advance. These workers receive their monthly salaries and overtime payments as usual. There is no valid reason for this suspension, except for undue pressure from those who want to put off the elections, in fear of losing it,” Handunnetti said.
He said that the Government Printer was a public official and she has to give priority to the public interest. “The entire nation wants the elections held on time. The Supreme Court has given its approval and created an environment conducive for that. The Department of Government Printing should now act accordingly as per the guidelines set by the National Elections Commission. It is a punishable offence to act otherwise. The Government Printer’s responsibility is to the people as she is paid from public money. She should keep in her mind that it is always better to act according to the law rather than going against the interests of the people,” Handunnetti said.
NPP National Ex-co member Attorney-at-Law Janaka Adhikari also addressed the press.
The official appointment letters for the members of the newly established “Cricket Transformation Committee” (CTC) were handed over on Monday (04) by the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports, Sunil Kumara Gamage.
The following members received their letters of appointment at the Ministry premises:
Sidath Wettimuny
Thushira Radella
Prakash Schaffter
Ms. Avanthi Colombage
The Ministry also noted that veteran cricketers Roshan Mahanama and Kumar Sangakkara, who are key members of the committee, are currently overseas. Their official appointments will be formalised immediately upon their arrival in Sri Lanka.
The Cricket Transformation Committee has been mandated to oversee the administration and drive structural reforms within Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) in accordance with the powers vested in the Minister under the Sports Act No. 25 of 1973.
Three prison guards attached to the Welikada Prison have been arrested by Borella Police following the death of an inmate on Monday (04).
‘Bar Association must reveal its stand’
Civil society group ‘Free Lawyers’ has requested Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena to probe whether political pressure was brought on a Magistrate, or a High Court Judge, in respect of an ongoing high profile case.
Speaking to The Island on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon said that they felt the urgent need to seek the CJ’s intervention, following the May Day declaration by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the verdict of a case that was heard on 30 April would be given on 25 May. Tennakoon said that addressing the NPP’s main May Day rally at Maharagama, the President asked the people to be ready to celebrate that verdict. The President couldn’t have said so if he hadn’t been aware of the impending verdict, Tennakoon said, while emphasising the responsibility on the part of the Bar Association to state its position on the issue.
‘Free Lawyers’ recently captured pubic attention following its exposure of the theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury.
Responding to a query, Tennakoon said that on behalf of ‘Free Lawyers,’ Maithri Gunaratne, PC, on Monday, 4 April, wrote to both CJ Surasena and President of the Bar Association Rajeev Amarasuriya.
Alleging that President Dissanayake’s declaration caused immense harm to the independence of the judiciary and raised controversy over the judgement that would be given on 25 May, ‘Free Lawyers’ organisation also asked the CJ to inquire into whether the entire judicial process was under political pressure.
Tennakoon said that they expect the Bar Association to reveal its position on President Dissanayake’s statement. Tennakoon pointed out that during the May Day address, President Dissanayake made reference to 15 cases that were to be taken up during this month, whereas Transport, Highways and Urban Development Minister, as well as Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake, mentioned nearly 10 names of politicians, both sitting and former lawmakers, to be summoned beginning, May.
Tennakoon said that the NPP appeared to have used May Day to counter growing accusations over the Colombo port container controversy, coal scam, Rs 13.2 bn NDB fraud and theft of USD 2.5 mn from the Treasury and USD 625,000 from the Sri Lanka Postal Service.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
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