News
Executive undermining judiciary, EC, election laws, PAFFREL
By Rathindra Kuruwita
The Constitution, the Elections Commission, elections laws and the judiciary no longer had any say in holding elections, and the President now had all the power to determine whether elections are held or not, Executive Director of People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi says.
“The President can say we will hold the presidential election instead of the local government elections. Or he can say, we will hold the general election first. Given that the law is blatantly ignored, anything is possible,” Hettiarachchi said.
Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake said he could not say when the elections could be held and that a decision would be taken when the government made funds available or when the Supreme Court issued a ruling asking the Commission to hold elections.
“However, the Supreme Court did issue a directive. It asked those who handle finance not to obstruct the holding of elections. However, the government has ignored this,” Hettiarachchi said.
The PAFFREL Executive Director said that although the local government election had been postponed, Sri Lanka was still technically in an election period.
“Now, there is a lot of confusion. An election was declared and later postponed. The question is whether election laws still apply to us. If election laws apply the government must curtail a number of its activities and it has to seek the approval of the Elections Commission if it is carrying out welfare or development work. The government can’t recruit, promote, punish or transfer state employees. Now, no one knows what’s going on,” he said.
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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