News
March 09 poll in the balance: Opp slams Govt. Printer, Treasury Secy. for not cooperating with EC
Nidahas Janatha Sandhanaya spokesman Prof G. L. Peiris, MP, yesterday (15) urged the Election Commission (EC) to summon Government Printer Gangani Liyanage over her refusal to cooperate with the independent commission.
Alleging that the Government Printer had deliberately undermined the conduct of Local Government polls on March 09, the former External Affairs Minister stressed that Liyanage owed an explanation. Prof. Peiris said so addressing the media at Nawala.
Prof. Peiris said that the Government Printer’s sudden declaration that she wouldn’t undertake printing until her department received the full payment should be examined against the backdrop of the assurance given by the EC to the Supreme Court that Local Government poll would be held as scheduled.
The former minister lambasted Finance Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana for depriving the EC of funds required to conduct the election. Stressing the responsibility on the part of relevant government officials to cooperate with the EC, Prof. Peiris questioned the rationale in Secretary to the Treasury refusing to release funds in spite of this year’s budget allocating Rs 10 bn for the EC.
Referring to earlier attempt made by Public Administration Secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinna to interfere with electoral process, Prof. Peiris pointed out that SJB Mayoral candidate for Colombo Municipal Council Mujibur Rahuman recently moved court against Hapuhinna.
Meanwhile, at the meeting convened by the EC on Tuesday (14 February) morning to inform secretaries of political parties contesting LG poll, EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa expressed concerns relating to holding the election as expected due to financial constraints. Punchihewa has said that the Government Printer has informed him in writing she was unable to continue printing of the ballot papers due to the lack of funds. Most of the participants present expressed their displeasure over the attempts made by the government to disrupt the election.
It was pointed out by many party leaders that the Election Commission has the necessary powers to conduct the election even if the government tries to stop the election by influencing various agencies that come under it, namely, the Finance Ministry, Government Printing Department and Police. It was even suggested that the finance secretary and the government printer be summoned by the Commission and questioned as to their lackadaisical approach and even to take legal action against them.
When the possibility of utilising the deposits made by the political parties towards the conduct of election was raised, it was revealed that 186 million rupees was collected as deposits and that has been dispatched to the treasury.
News
Karu argues against scrapping MPs’ pension as many less fortunate members entered Parliament after ’56
Former Speaker of Parliament Karu Jayasuriya has written to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake expressing concerns over the proposed abolition of MPs’ pensions.The letter was sent in his capacity as Patron of the Former Parliamentarians’ Caucus.
In his letter, Jayasuriya noted that at the time of Sri Lanka’s independence, political participation was largely limited to an educated, affluent land-owning elite. However, he said a significant social transformation took place after 1956, enabling ordinary citizens to enter politics.
He warned that under current conditions, removing parliamentary pensions would effectively confine politics to the wealthy, business interests, individuals engaged in illicit income-generating activities, and well-funded political parties. Such a move, he said, would discourage honest social workers and individuals of modest means from entering public life.
Jayasuriya also pointed out that while a small number of former MPs, including himself, use their pensions for social and charitable purposes, the majority rely on the pension as a primary source of income.
He urged the President to give due consideration to the matter and take appropriate action, particularly as the government prepares to draft a new constitution.The Bill seeking to abolish pensions for Members of Parliament was presented to Parliament on 07 January by Minister of Justice and National Integration Dr. Harshana Nanayakkara.
Five suspects, including former Minister Johnston Fernando and his two sons, who were arrested by the Financial Crimes Investigation Division (FCID), were further remanded until 30 January by the Wattala Magistrate’s Court yesterday.
The former Minister’s , sons Johan Fernando and Jerome Kenneth Fernando, and two others, were arrested in connection with the alleged misuse of a Sathosa vehicle during Fernando’s tenure as Minister.
Investigations are currently underway into the alleged misuse of state property, including a lorry belonging to Lanka Sathosa, which reportedly caused a significant financial loss to the state.
In connection with the same incident, Indika Ratnamalala, who served as the Transport Manager of Sathosa during
Fernando’s tenure as Minister of Co-operatives and Internal Trade, was arrested on 04 January.
After being produced before the Wattala Magistrate’s Court, he was ordered to be remanded in custody until 09 January.The former Sathosa Transport Manager was remanded on charges of falsifying documents.
The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) yesterday informed the Colombo Magistrate’s Court that indictments had been filed in the Colombo High Court against former Minister and NDF Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake over a corruption allegation.
The Bribery Commission notified the court when the case, in this regard, was taken up yesterday before Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S. Bodaragama.
At the hearing, the CIABOC notified the court that indictments had been presented before the Colombo High Court against the accused.
Accordingly, concluding the proceedings before the Magistrate’s Court, the Magistrate ordered MP Dassanayake to appear before the High Court once a notice was issued.
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