News

Petitioner tells court: AG’s should protect public not corrupt politicians

Published

5 years ago

2021/12/11

Sahan Weerasooriya

Gas explosion case before CA:

By Shamindra Ferdinando

Petitioner Attorney-at-Law Nagananda Kodituwakku yesterday (10) told the Court of Appeal that the duty and responsibility of the Attorney General was to defend the people.

Referring to recent Supreme Court stricture of the Attorney General in the ruling in respect of fundamental rights application filed as regards ‘Taking a policy decision in respect of tamed elephants where judicial proceedings and investigations are being conducted and transferring the ownership’, Kodituwakku said that the Attorney General shouldn’t lie.

The Attorney General’s duty was not to protect corrupt politicians, the petitioner said.

The petitioner lawyer said so when the Attorney General told the Court of Appeal that the Department wasn’t aware of the petition filed by him in his capacity as the General Secretary of the Vinivida Foundation seeking a series of immediate measures against those responsible for accidental blasts of domestic LPG gas cylinders.

In addition to issuance of notice to ten respondents, namely Chairman Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) retired Major General Shantha Dissanayake (1 respondent) , Director General, Sri Lanka Standards Dr. Siddika Senarathna (2), former CAA Executive Director Thushan Gunawardena (3), Laughfs Holdings (4), Litro Gas (5), Trade Minister Bandula Gunawardena (6), Consumer Protection State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna (7), Government Chief Valuer P.P.D.S. Muthkumarana (8), IGP C.D. Wickremaratne (9), and the Attorney General (10), the petitioner sought immediate halt to distribution of gas cylinders pending a thorough investigation, formulate health and safety standards for LP gas cylinders, compensation to those affected by blasts and directive to the Attorney General to institute legal proceedings against Litro and Laughfs in terms of Section 13 of the Consumer Affairs Act No 09 of 2003 and also under Section 45 of the Sri Lanka Standards Institution Act No 6 of 1984 and Section 298 of the Penal Code or under any other provision of law for the commission of a serious criminal offence that warrants imprisonment and payment of compensation to all victims who had suffered loss of life and property damage.

Lawyer Kodituwakku asked in the open court yesterday how the Attorney General denied knowledge of the case filed by him when the Department was represented in the Court of Appeal on the first day, Wednesday, Dec 08 of the proceedings. Court of Appeal judge Sobitha Rajakaruna recused himself from the case on that day. On the following day, Court of Appeal judges Priyantha Fernando and Sampath Abeykoon, too, excused themselves from the case paving the way for Dr. Ruman Fernando and Sampath Wijerathna to hear the case yesterday.

Following deliberations, the judges declared that the case would be called next Tuesday (14) at 10 am. Attorney-at-law Kodituwakku was directed to deliver the required documents to all the relevant parties as regards the case filed in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution.

The civil society activist told the court that this shouldn’t be delayed as explosions of domestic gas cylinders took place every day and the lives of people were at serious risk. Kodituwakku also denied accusations by the Attorney General that he brought the media to court. Kodituwakku emphasized that he had nothing to do with the presence of the media.

The petitioner prayed that the Court of Appeal exercised its inherent jurisdiction afforded by Article 140 of the Constitution to arrest the serious life and property risk and immeasurable hardship faced by the consumers due to blatant negligence on the part of the 1st, 2nd 6th 7th and 9th Respondents who shall be held accountable for gross failure on their part to enforce the rule of law concerning the health and safety risks faced by millions of consumers.

The Petitioner stated that failure on the part of the 1st, 2nd 6th 7th and 9th respondents amounted to violation of the confidence placed in the office the said respondents hold in trust. The gross negligence on the part of the above mentioned respondents violated the fundamental expectations of the citizens whose executive power is being abused by them.

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News

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

Published

10 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

10 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

10 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.