Convenor of the Janathawadi Joint Opposition, Prof. G. L. Peiris, on Sunday (30) said that they were suspicious of a possible attempt to put off the next presidential election. The former External Affairs Minister said that they were also seriously concerned about the holding of the next parliamentary polls.

He said so at a meeting held in Galle in support of the Opposition efforts against the 22nd Constitutional Amendment.

Referring to numerous NPP members declaring that they intended to remain in power for 20 to 25 years, Prof. Peiris pointed out that the enactment of the proposed Amendment would jeopardise the long-standing political party system. Underscoring the threat posed by what he called democratic backsliding, the former Minister warned that the possibility of the NPP seeking to put off national elections couldn’t be disregarded.

Presidential and parliamentary polls are due every five years. The last presidential and parliamentary polls were held in September and November, 2024, respectively.

Prof. Peiris pointed out that the NPP has already declared that the long delayed Provincial Council polls wouldn’t be held. The academic explained how the NPP, through the enactment of the 22nd Amendment, could take hold of the judiciary. If it were to happen, it would be the end of democracy here, Prof. Peiris warned, emphasising the need to oppose the NPP’s steady march towards dictatorship.

The real issue was not the move to extend the retirement ages of superior court judges as well as judges of other courts, including High Court but the clandestine machinations to make the judiciary part of the political apparatus, Prof. Peiris said.

Referring to the recent retirement of the senior justice of the Court of Appeal, Dhammika Ganepola, and the impending retirement of the senior-most justice of the Court of Appeal, justice R. Gurusinghe, Prof. Peiris demanded to know why they were not promoted to the Supreme Court. Lashing out at the government over its retirement of several superior court judges during the past several months, the ex-Minister alleged that the 22nd Amendment was not meant to address the real issues faced by the judiciary but a transparent political strategy but to extend the term of government through underhand means.

Prof. Peiris compared the ongoing constitutional crisis and the way Murdhu Fernando, who served as the Chief Justice, during December 2024 to July 2025, retired without any issue. According to Prof. Peiris , the government created a catastrophic situation by seeking to extend the retirement ages of some at the expense of judicial independence. (SF)

On behalf of the Doctors’ Trade Union Alliance for Medical and Civil Rights, Dr. Chamal Sanjeewa, yesterday (31), lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) alleging the government’s failure to recover compensation owed to Sri Lanka in connection with the X-Press Pearl disaster.

Dr. Sanjeewa told the media that the Supreme Court, in a judgment delivered in 2025 by a five-member bench, headed by the then Chief Justice Murdu Fernando, had determined that the X-Press Pearl disaster resulted in a violation of fundamental rights and ordered that US$1 billion be paid to the government of Sri Lanka.

But, so far, only USD I million had been received, Dr. Sanjeewa said. The civil society activist said that his alliance had called for a comprehensive investigation into the reasons for the failure to recover the funds under the present administration.

Over USD 1 bn illegal transfers

Colombo Chief Magistrate Asanga S Bodaragama has directed the police Financial Crimes Investigations Division (FCID) to respond to Court on the written application under 124 CCPA made to the Chief Magistrate on behalf of first suspect Jiffry Mohamed of AY Investments Impex Pvt Ltd, that FCID be directed to investigate directly or through the banks and ascertain from the overseas exporters by fax or email the relevant exports made by them to Sri Lanka in respect of the advance payments received by them from the banks in Sri Lanka.

The suspect has also submitted to Court through his Counsel that he believes that the goods were in fact exported to Sri Lanka by the overseas exporters in China and India to Sri Lanka and cleared by the respective importers from time to time and that it is vital for the police to investigate what happened to the monies that were sent by the several banks overseas.

Suspect’s Counsel M.M. Zuhair PC told the Court that no Sri Lankan importer would send huge amounts to overseas exporters without receiving the goods for which he had made advance payments through banks!

The suspect and his 34 associate companies, he said, are not the importers. That A Y Investments performed a limited operational service for a nominal commission. They receive funds in rupees from brokers for transferring the said sums in rupees to the banks and that the banks after exercising due diligence convert the rupees into foreign currencies and remit the foreign currencies to the overseas exporters.

FCID has not reported to Court on the rest of the 89 companies other than suspect’s 34 companies, he submitted.

Counsel submitted that advance payments are lawful under the ‘Special Import license and Payment Regulations No 1 of 2011 issued by then President of Sri Lanka under the Import and Export (Control) Act and Article 44 of the Constitution issued 15 years ago. Regulations were amended by the incumbent President in June 2026 and that the 2011 regulations as amended are in force.

He said police have not referred to these regulations, which permit advance payment for imports, in their several reports to Court.

As the suspect is in remand, he is unable to himself assist the police and that he had while in custody provided assistance whatever possible to the investigators but he could do better if he is enlarged on bail, he has said in the written application for bail. Counsel pleaded that the suspect has no previous convictions or police involvement and he be released on bail with whatever strict conditions the Court may impose.

In the written application, the suspect has submitted that he is entitled to a ‘just, fair and complete investigation’ by the police, in the case where police allege that huge amounts of monies had been sent to overseas exporters by 89 Sri Lankan companies for imports but that no imports, police allege, had been received.

Counsel appearing for the four bank employees arrested and in remand said that they were junior employees and had not committed any offence and sought bail. Court made an order remanding the suspects until September 3rd.