News
Constitutional Council: Still no finality
Drag on appointment of Independent Commissions
Thursday’s meeting of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena, and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa to appoint three civil society members for the Constitutional Council ended in a stalemate further delaying the appointments of independent commissions, parliamentary sources said.
Speaker Abeywardena said that the meeting held at the Parliamentary complex ended without reaching any decision.He said that the Constitutional Council cannot function properly until all the members are appointed.
According to the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, the Constitutional Council comprises 10 members and its three civil society members have to be appointed in agreement between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader.Thursday meeting, earlier announced to make a final decision, however ended without any agreement reached on the names of three civil society members to the Council, parliament sources said.
They added that two months have lapsed since the passing of the 21st Amendment to the constitution; yet there was no signal with regard to the appointment of independent commissions including the elections commission. It is the prerogative of the 10-member Constitutional Council to appoint members to the independent commissions. “Now the forming of the Constitutional Council is delayed sine die, and that would further delay the appointment of independent commissions,” a senior parliamentary source said.
The 10-member Constitutional Council consists of seven lawmakers and three civil society members. The seven lawmakers are the Speaker, Prime Minister, and the Opposition Leader appointed to the council in their official capacity, an MP as the President’s representative, an MP nominated by the agreement of the majority of MPs of the government ranks, another MP nominated by the agreement of the majority of MPs of the opposition ranks, and an MP nominated by agreement of the MPs other than those representing the government and those belonging to the political party or independent group to which the Leader of the Opposition belongs to.
Already Minister Nimal Siripala De Silva was appointed to the Constitutional Council as the President’s representative, sources said, adding that there appears to be no agreement with regard to the remaining appointments.
SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariyawasam’s name has been proposed as the MP nominated by agreement of the majority of the MPs representing the government. His appointment has not yet been confirmed while SJB MP Kabir Hashim’s name has been proposed as the MP nominated from the political party or independent group to which the Leader of the Opposition belongs to.
Sources said that there was discord over the appointment of an MP nominated by agreement of the MPs other than those representing the government and those belonging to the political party or independent group to which the Leader of the Opposition belongs to. The TNA has proposed the name of Jaffna District MP Dharmalingam Siddharthan, the newly formed Uttara Lanka Sabhagaya demands that post should be given to MP Udaya Gammanpila.
The delay in appointing members to the Constitutional Council delays the appointment of members to independent commissions; namely Election Commission, National Police Commission, Audit Service Commission, Human Rights Commission, Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, Finance Commission, Delimitation Commission, National Procurement Commission, University Grants Commission and Official Languages Commission.
News
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (07) are Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon.
By Norman Palihawadane
The CID recently found that former SLPP Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekara, better known as ‘Choka Malli’, had left for Thailand when the Supreme Court imposed an overseas travel ban on him last Friday.
The CID discovered that Jayasekara had left Sri Lanka on August 31, while authorities were taking steps to enforce the travel restriction imposed by the Supreme Court. The Department has subsequently informed the Attorney General’s Department of the development.
The Supreme Court last Friday ordered Jayasekara, and two other men, to appear before court on October 21, and imposed a ban on their overseas travel.
The orders were made as the Supreme Court considered an appeal challenging the acquittal of the three men in connection with the 2015 murder of Shantha Dodangoda, also known as D.G. Sunil Perera.
The appeal was filed by Dodangoda’s wife against a decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and release Jayasekara and the two other accused, who had previously been convicted and sentenced to death by the Ratnapura High Court.
Dodangoda was killed in a shooting in Kahawatta town, in the early hours of January 5, 2015, while a group of people were putting up decorations for an election rally in support of then common Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Two others, Karunadasa Weerasinghe and Mohamed Ilfan, were seriously injured in the shooting.
Following the incident, the Ratnapura High Court convicted Jayasekara, former Chairman of the Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Wajira Darshana de Silva, and former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Nilanta Jayakody, sentencing all three to death.
The Court of Appeal subsequently acquitted the three men and ordered their release.
The victim’s wife later challenged the acquittal before the Supreme Court.
The appeal was taken up before a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga.
During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara requested that the court impose overseas travel restrictions on Jayasekara and the other respondents.
The Supreme Court subsequently ordered all three to appear before the court on October 21 and imposed travel bans on them.
President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty, President’s Counsel U.R. de Silva and President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the respondents. President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris represented the aggrieved party.
Police sources said that the discovery that Jayasekara had already left for Thailand, on August 31, has raised concerns over the timing and enforcement of the travel ban.
Sources said that the CID had notified the Attorney General’s Department and was taking further action in relation to the development.
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The number of deaths from dengue fever in Sri Lanka has risen to 73 this year, with 96,228 cases reported across the country so far, according to the Dengue Control Unit.
The latest figures indicate that dengue continues to pose a significant public health concern, with 737 new cases recorded during the first four days of September alone.
Dengue infections peaked in July, when 29,964 cases were reported, according to the latest data. June recorded the second-highest monthly total, with 21,533 cases, while 10,155 cases were reported in August.
Earlier in the year, 8,590 cases were recorded in May and 7,866 cases in January.The Western Province remains the worst-affected area, accounting for more than half of all dengue cases reported nationwide. A total of 50,851 cases have been recorded in the province, representing 52.84% of the country’s total.
The Southern Province has recorded 13,950 cases, followed by the Central Province with 8,818 cases and Sabaragamuwa Province with 7,925 cases.
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
Showers above 50 mm are likely at some places in the Uva and Eastern provinces.
Harshitha’s composed knock seals Sri Lanka’s semi-final berth
‘Choka Malli’ slips out of country before travel ban
Dengue death toll rises to 73
Ranil accuses govt. of undermining democracy
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
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