News

PM’s statement sets off angry opposition buzz in Parliament

Published

2 years ago

2024/07/28

Dinesh / Sajith

A tense situation prevailed in Parliament on Friday after Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena declared that the restraining order issued by the Supreme Court preventing IGP Deshabandu Tennekoon from functioning in his post was illegal.

Delivering a special statement, Prime Minister Gunawardena said that President Ranil Wickremesinghe has no legal powers at this moment to appoint an Acting IGP. He said that the position of IGP is not vacant presently.

The Supreme Court has issued an interim injunction preventing Tennekoon from carrying out duties as the IGP until further notice, with the case scheduled to reconvene on November 11. This timeline coincides with the upcoming presidential election. A new President is expected to be in office by November 11.

Citing constitutional provisions, Prime Minister Gunawardena said that the appointment of an Acting IGP requires the President’s recommendation. However, with the President currently a presidential candidate, the process has encountered unprecedented challenges.

“In accordance with our constitutional framework, the responsibility lies with the President to appoint an Acting IGP,” Prime Minister Gunawardena said, adding that the incumbent IGP retains the position until further legal clarity is achieved.

“The President cannot appoint an Acting IGP while the position is not vacant. The incumbent IGP still holds the position.” he said.

Opposition MPs argued that an acting IGP should be appointed while the ruling party MPs argued that a new appointment cannot be made as the post is not vacant.

Opposition and SJB Leader Sajith Premadasa called on President Wickremesinghe to step down, if the latter could not appoint an Acting IGP as per the Supreme Court Order.

He said that the President must uphold the Injunction Order issued by the Supreme Court and appoint an Acting IGP.

“The President cannot evade this issue. He is the President even today. His responsibilities do not cease even if he becomes a Presidential candidate. His responsibility is to appoint an Acting IGP when there is no IGP. Ask the President to resign if he cannot do that. Then, the Acting President can function according to the law of the country. He is trying to resort to an unconstitutional act,” Premadasa charged.

“The President cannot run away from this problem. He is still the President. He cannot abandon his responsibilities just because he is a presidential election candidate. If he cannot do this, ask the President to resign,” he said.

Premadasa pointed out that the exclusive authority to adjudicate fundamental rights petitions is vested in the Supreme Court as outlined in Article 126 of the Constitution.

“The Constitution vests the Supreme Court with the sole authority to hear and issue determinations on fundamental rights petitions,” he said.

He said that decisions, whether interim injunctions or final judgements, pertaining to such matters are within the purview of the judiciary and not Parliament or the executive.

Drawing attention to Article 41 of the Constitution, he highlighted the requirement for presidential appointments, including that of the IGP, to be approved by the Constitutional Council. He pointed out that the recent interim injunction issued by the Supreme Court regarding the IGP appointment is a procedural step, not a final decision, with a subsequent hearing date set.

“It is imperative that we respect the Supreme Court’s order and initiate the process for appointing a new IGP in accordance with constitutional procedures,” Premadasa said.

The Leader of the Opposition said that the checks and balances were among the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary. He cautioned against selective adherence to constitutional principles based on personal or political preferences, urging consistency in upholding the Constitution regardless of outcomes.

“Our decisions today will shape the future of our country,” Premadasa said, warning against unwanted ramifications by disregarding constitutional provisions. He called for a steadfast commitment to constitutional governance, stressing that adherence to legal principles is essential for the stability and integrity of Sri Lanka’s democratic institutions.

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Geneva takes up Sallay’s case and govt. ignores opportunity to answer accusations

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

Suresh Sallay

The government has chosen not to respond to questions raised by the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) regarding the detention of retired Maj. Gen. Suresh Sallay in connection with the ongoing investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.

The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) arrested the ex-official in late February this year. The Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms while countering terrorism, the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health and the Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers have jointly raised the issue on 20 July, 2026.

Drawing attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to what they called alleged arbitrary detention of Sallay, former Director General of the State Intelligence Service (SIS) and former Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), under the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), as well as allegations of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment while in custody, resulting in the grave deterioration of his health, and imminent risks of retaliation through further torture and ill-treatment resulting in irreparable harm, should he be released from hospital and returned to custody, the UN sought the government explanation with a 60-day period.

The UN has stated: “This communication, and any response received from your Excellency’s Government, will be made public via the communications reporting website at the 60 days mark. Should your Excellency’s Government respond within 60 days, both the communication and the response, may be published before the 60 days mark. The communications and responses

will also be made available in the subsequent periodic report to be presented to the Human Rights Council.”

In the absence of the government’s response, the UN posted the letter, dated 20 July, 2026, addressed to President Dissanayake. The full letter can be accessed https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=31125

News

Section of wartime KKS High Security Zone vacated to facilitate economic development in the area

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

The Army, last week, vacated an area, within the wartime high security zone in the Jaffna peninsula. The Defence Ministry said that an extent of 187.56 acres of land, belonging to the Cement Corporation in Kankesanthurai, Jaffna, has been released by the military. The released land, located in Grama Niladhari Division J/233, Kankesanthurai West, within the Valikamam North (Tellippalai) Divisional Secretariat Division, had been utilised by the Sri Lanka Army since the middle of 1997.

The release of the 187.56-acre extent forms part of the initiative to make State land available for the proposed investment zone in Kankesanthurai, thereby facilitating future investment and economic development in the area.

News

Lawyer lodges complaint against Govt. Printer, Media Ministry Secy.

Published

12 hours ago

2026/10/5

Thilina Walpola

A complaint has been lodged with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau against the Government Printer and the Secretary to the Ministry of Media regarding the online release of falsified documents bearing a forged Speaker’s certificate.

Attorney-at-Law Aruna Laksiri has lodged a complaint with the Colombo Fraud Investigation Bureau requesting legal action against the Government Printer of the Department of Government Printing (No. 118, Dr. Danister de Silva Mawatha, Colombo 08), Prasanna Jayaratne, and the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media (Asidisi Medura, 163, Kirulapone Mawatha, Polhengoda, Colombo 05), Dr. Anil Jasinghe.

The complaint alleges the commission of offences by forging and uploading falsified documents online using a forged Speaker’s certification, failure to perform statutory duties, and misappropriation of public property.

The complaint states that a copy of the English translation of the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was downloaded and printed from the official website of the Government Printing Department (www.documents.gov.lk), which operates under the Ministry of Mass Media. On its outer cover and on page 1, the text “certified on 25th of September, 2026” is inscribed inside brackets.

The complaint pointed out that the Speaker has certified an English translation. Under Articles 23, 79, 83, and 80 of the Constitution, Parliament enacts laws and the Speaker certifies bills strictly in the Sinhala and Tamil languages; under the Constitution, therefore the Speaker cannot apply such certification to an English translation.