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Champika moves to codify contempt of court law with private member’s bill

Published

4 years ago

2021/07/27

SJB MP Patali Champika Ranawaka last week presented a private member’s bill to Parliament aimed at codifying a contempt of court law for the country.

The Contempt of Court Bill seeks to define and limit the powers of certain courts in imposing punishment in contempt of court cases and to regulate their procedure in dealing with contempt cases.

The Bill defines “contempt of court” as civil contempt or criminal contempt with “civil contempt” meaning willful disobedience of any judgment, decree, direction, order, writ or other process of a court or willful breach of an undertaking given to a court.

“Criminal contempt” has been defined as publication (whether by words, spoken or written or by signs or by visible representations, or otherwise) of any matter or the doing of any other act whatsoever which scandalises or tends to scandalise or lowers or tends to lower the authority of any court; prejudices or interferes or tends to interfere with, the due course of any judicial proceeding; or interferes or tends to interfere with or obstructs or tends to obstruct, the administration of justice in any other manner.

The Bill details what should and should not be construed as “contempt of court” and sets prison terms of six months simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000 in cases where persons are found guilty of an offence under the act with provision to tender an apology when faced with such a charge.

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Sixth anniversary of Easter Sunday carnage: Special security provided to churches

Published

48 mins ago

2025/04/20

Thilina Walpola

Police and armed forces personnel will be deployed at all churches today as the sixth anniversary of the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks is marked.Police stations have been instructed to provide special security to churches in their areas and seek assistance from the STF and tri-forces where additional manpower is needed.

Security arrangements have been made under the direction of Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Priyantha Weerasuriya.

Defence Secretary Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuiyakontha convened a special meeting on Thursday, instructing the Commanders of the Tri-Forces to implement a comprehensive security plan to safeguard worshippers attending Easter Sunday services.

He further directed that the measures be taken in close coordination with the Ministry of Public Security to ensure effective implementation and to allow Christians to attend services without fear or inconvenience.The main commemoration service is set to begin with a procession from St. Lucia’s Cathedral at 7:00 a.m., with participation from Catholics

in nearby parishes—particularly from Colombo Central, Colombo North, Wattala, and Ragama—as well as brothers from junior and national seminaries, priests, and religious leaders. Colombo Archbishop Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith is expected to conduct the prayer service, which is scheduled to begin at 8:40 a.m.

A separate commemoration will also take place at St. Sebastian’s Church in Katuwapitiya, in two sessions—one at 8:30 a.m. and another at 4:30 p.m.

By Norman Palihawadane

News

Easter Sunday carnage: Catholic Bishops’ Conference renews call for justice

Published

49 mins ago

2025/04/20

Thilina Walpola

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka says that ascertaining who the perpetrators of the Easter Sunday attacks in 2019 were and those who have aided and abetted in the dastardly act, is a matter of urgency.

In its special message for Easter the conference says: “This Easter also marks the sixth anniversary of the Easter Sunday bomb attacks on innocent worshipers at Catholic and other Christian Churches and in other places in 2019, causing death and injuries to hundreds of people. In this regard, we observe that certain positive steps have been taken by the present government to ensure an independent and impartial inquiry into this brutal attack.

While we appreciate the efforts made so far, we insist that as a matter of urgency and justice, the final aim of the inquiries should be to ascertain who the perpetrators are and those who have aided and abetted in the dastardly act.

We shall continue to pray earnestly for wisdom and courage for the leaders of our country, as well as solace and healing for the victims,” the message signed by the President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference in Sri Lanka, Bishop Harold Anthony Perera and Secretary General Bishop Anthony Jayakody said.