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Karu slams EC, demands new Constitution without dictatorial features in 20 A

Published

5 years ago

2021/03/19

Sahan Weerasooriya

…alleges police adopted Gestapo style tactics

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday (18) said that free and fair election couldn’t be expected under the supervision of the Election Commission (EC) appointed in terms of the 20th Amendment.

Jayasuriya said so addressing the media, in his capacity as the Chairman, the National Movement for Social Justice (NMSJ), at Janaki Hotel.

The EC consists of Nimal G. Punchihewa (Chairman), S.B. Diwarathne, M.M. Mohammed, K. P. P. Pathirana, and Jeevan Thiagarajah.

Referring to recent reports pertaining to moves to conduct much delayed Provincial Council polls, Jayasuriya emphasised the responsibility on the part of the incumbent government to guarantee the impartiality of the EC. Jayasuriya said that they couldn’t anticipate free and fair elections as members of the EC were directly involved with the government political machinery.

One-time UNP Deputy Leader alleged that the EC would side with the government at a crucial moment at the expense of those who expected a level playing field. Therefore, the independence of the EC should be proved before elections. Jayasuriya said the next Provincial Council polls shouldn’t be conducted on a staggered basis under any circumstances.

Jayasuriya accepted the NMSJ leadership after having declined to contest/National List of both the JVP and the UNP breakaway faction, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) at the Aug 2020 general election.

Pointing out that the 20th Amendment had been enacted at the expense of the 19th Amendment introduced during his tenure as the Speaker, Jayasuriya said President Rajapaksa should re-examine the 20th Amendment.

Commenting on the ongoing efforts by a 9-member committee led by Romesh de Silva, PC, to draft a new Constitution, Jayuriya urged the President and the SLPP to do away with dictatorial features created by way of the 20th Amendment. The former Speaker warned of dire consequences if the incumbent government tried to retain dictatorial features in the 20th Amendment in the new Constitution.

The draft of the proposed new Constitution is expected to be ready in April. Romesh de Silva’s committee began deliberations in Sept last year.

The former Speaker also urged the government to discard controversial political victimisation committee report to avoid further crises. Declaring that retired Supreme Court Justice Upali Abeyratne’s report wasn’t acceptable to the vast majority of people, Jayasuriya requested President Rajapaksa to reveal his stand on the report.

Recently Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, MP, and Saman Ekanayake, Secretary to former PM Ranil Wickremesinghe moved court against the Commission report.

NMSJ Chief challenged the government to take tangible and punitive measures against all those involved in the scandalous sugar duty scam that cost the country much needed revenue. Pointing out that the losses had been estimated at over Rs 15 bn, Jayasuriya said that the government could not remain silent on the revelations made by the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF).

The deal exposed by JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake in parliament on Dec 12, 2020, was investigated by the CoPF under the directions of its Chairman SLPP member Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.

Jayasuriya said that failure to act against those responsible would cause irreparable harm to the government and President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

The former Speaker also slammed the government for the continuing destruction of forests and efforts to suppress the truth of adopting Gestapo style tactics against those who dared to speak up. Recent scare tactics adopted in respect of a girl who criticised destruction of Sinharaja over Sirasa Lakshapathi exposed the government, he said.

Jayasuriya also strongly criticised what he called politicisation of the public sector. The former UNPer said that the moves to select members to the public through examinations conducted by the Public Administration Ministry instead of the Examination Department could cause serious harm.

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Governor of Gujarat met with Sri Lanka PM to discuss exposition of Devnimori Relics

Published

43 mins ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The Governor of the of Gujarat, Acharya Devvrat, along with the Deputy Chief Minister of Gujarat, Harsh Sanghvi, met with Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya on Thursdy [February 05] at the Parliamentary Complex to discuss the arrangements related to the exposition of the Devnimori Sacred Relics of Lord Buddha, which have been brought to Sri Lanka under the patronage of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Government of India.

These sacred relics of Lord Buddha were discovered during archaeological excavations conducted in the 1960s at the historic Devnimori site in Gujarat, the home state of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Until now, these relics had never been taken outside India. As a result of discussions held between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his recent visit to Sri Lanka, the people of Sri Lanka have been granted this rare opportunity to venerate these sacred relics.

The exposition of the relics is being held for a period of seven days, from February 05 to February 11, at the Gangaramaya Temple in Hunupitiya, Colombo. Discussions were held between both parties regarding the arrangements related to this event.

The discussion was attended by Samar Nanda, Joint Secretary of the Indian Ministry of Culture; Dr. Satyanjal Pandey, Acting High Commissioner of India in Sri Lanka; Abhijit Halder, Director General of the International Buddhist Confederation; along with several others.

[Prime Minister’s Media Division]

News

INS GHARIAL makes port call in Colombo

Published

7 hours ago

2026/02/6

Priyan

The Indian Naval Ship (INS) GHARIAL made a port call in Colombo for operational turnarounds on 04 Feb 26. The Sri Lanka Navy welcomed the visiting ship in compliance with naval traditions.

Commanded by Commander Gaurav Tewari, INS GHARIAL is a vessel with a length of 124.8 meters.

During this visit, ten (10) Bailey Bridges, brought by ship, through the coordination of the High Commission of India in Sri Lanka, will be handed over to the Disaster Management Center. These bridges will provide temporary transportation links while bridges damaged across the island by adverse weather conditions are repaired.

The crew’s itinerary features scheduled goodwill activities with the Sri Lanka Navy, alongside visits to several tourist attractions across the island.

News

Speaker’s personal secretary accused of interference with ongoing bribery investigation

Published

8 hours ago

2026/02/6

Thilina Walpola

Harshana

SJB Gampaha District MP Harshana Rajakaruna yesterday told Parliament that the Speaker’s Personal Secretary had written to the Secretary-General of Parliament seeking information on a complaint lodged with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) by a former Deputy Secretary of Parliament against the Speaker. Rajakaruna called for an immediate investigation into what he described as interference with an ongoing probe.

Raising the matter in the House, Rajakaruna said he had formally requested the Commission to initiate an inquiry into the conduct of the Speaker’s Personal Secretary, Chameera Gallage, questioning the authority under which such information had been sought.

Rajapakaruna tabled in Parliament a copy of the letter allegedly sent by Gallage to the Secretary-General requesting details of the bribery complaint.

Addressing the House, Rajakaruna said that the letter, sent two days earlier, had sought “full details” of the complaint against the Speaker. He maintained that seeking such information amounted to interference with an investigation and constituted a serious offence under the Bribery Act.

“The Speaker’s Secretary has no right to interfere with the work of the Bribery Commission. Under what law is he acting? What authority does he have? The Speaker, like everyone else, is subject to the law of the land,” Rajakaruna said, urging the Commission to take immediate action.

He noted that the Bribery Act treated the obstruction of investigations and the destruction of documents relating to such inquiries as serious offences punishable by law, and said he believed the Minister of Justice would concur.

The allegations sparked sharp reactions in the Chamber, as Opposition members called for accountability and due process in relation to the complaint against the Speaker.

By Saman Indrajith