News
Prez undermining EC ahead of elections: SLPP rebel group
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The rebel SLPP group yesterday (04) accused President Ranil Wickremesinghe of trying to bring the legislature under his control ahead of presidential and parliamentary polls scheduled for 2024 and 2025.
Addressing the weekly media briefing at Nawala, top Opposition spokesperson and former External Affairs Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris alleged that Wickremesinghe’s recent threat to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to ascertain the status of the Constitutional Council (CC) was in line with his strategy to keep the legislature under his thumb.
Prof. Peiris said the executive posed a threat to the legislature as well as the judiciary against the backdrop of the moves to introduce a new Act to govern Parliament, undermine CC and clip the wings of Cabinet ministers. He cited the recent sacking of Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe (SLPP Polonnaruwa District) as a case in point.
Referring to the proposed parliamentary Act, the former minister pointed out that the President with just one UNP National List MP in the current Parliament, was bent on bringing the whole administrative structure, at every level, under his direct control. Prof. Peiris asserted that the President seemed determined to push ahead with his contentious strategy, regardless of consequences.
The former top law academic said that the way President Wickremesinghe responded to the CC’s refusal to endorse multiple extensions to former IGP C.D. Wickremeratne revealed the UNP leader had absolutely no regard for the 21st Amendment enacted on Oct 21, 2022 with an overwhelming 2/3 majority. The academic acknowledged that the President was pursuing an agenda inimical to parliamentary democracy in spite of clear opposition to such undemocratic behaviour both in and outside Parliament.
The ex-Minister alleged that President Wickremesinghe conveniently failed to fill a longtime existing vacancy in the vital Election Commission (EC). Recalling how the President moved against the previous EC after having failed to force the independent commission to put off Local Government polls on its own, Prof. Peiris expressed fears the delay seemed to be deliberate. The one time internationally recognized law academic accused President Wickremesinghe of planning to sabotage the EC in the run-up to the presidential polls late next year.
“We are quite concerned about Wickremesinghe’s motive in continuing with one vacancy in the five-member EC,” Prof. Peiris said, pointing out that P.S.M. Charles, one-time member of EC, received appointment as Governor of the Northern Province on May 17, 2023. Prof. Peiris said that President Wickremesinghe posed quite a threat to the parliamentary system.
Responding to The Island queries, Prof. Peiris emphasized that the SLPP should be held accountable for the developing crisis. Having invited Wickremesinghe to accept premiership on May 12, 2022 at the height of the public protest campaign, the SLPP accommodated the UNP leader as Finance Minister on May 25, 2022 before electing him the President in late July, of the same year, Prof. Peiris said.
The former law professor added that the President operated on the premise that regardless of the SLPP’s stand, the majority of members, including the entire Cabinet, would abide by his stand on any contentious issue. This was proved when President Wickrememesinghe sacked Sports Minister Ranasinghe who had the guts to stand up to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC).
The former minister urged the genuine Opposition to sink whatever differences to meet the President’s challenge. The President has repeatedly shown that he didn’t care about the Constitution and intended to consolidate his position in preparation for the next presidential poll.
Prof. Peiris warned that Wickremesinghe would go all out against the media, both print and electronic, as he stepped up pressure on the Opposition.
News
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.
The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (07) are Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon.
By Norman Palihawadane
The CID recently found that former SLPP Deputy Minister Premalal Jayasekara, better known as ‘Choka Malli’, had left for Thailand when the Supreme Court imposed an overseas travel ban on him last Friday.
The CID discovered that Jayasekara had left Sri Lanka on August 31, while authorities were taking steps to enforce the travel restriction imposed by the Supreme Court. The Department has subsequently informed the Attorney General’s Department of the development.
The Supreme Court last Friday ordered Jayasekara, and two other men, to appear before court on October 21, and imposed a ban on their overseas travel.
The orders were made as the Supreme Court considered an appeal challenging the acquittal of the three men in connection with the 2015 murder of Shantha Dodangoda, also known as D.G. Sunil Perera.
The appeal was filed by Dodangoda’s wife against a decision of the Court of Appeal to acquit and release Jayasekara and the two other accused, who had previously been convicted and sentenced to death by the Ratnapura High Court.
Dodangoda was killed in a shooting in Kahawatta town, in the early hours of January 5, 2015, while a group of people were putting up decorations for an election rally in support of then common Opposition presidential candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Two others, Karunadasa Weerasinghe and Mohamed Ilfan, were seriously injured in the shooting.
Following the incident, the Ratnapura High Court convicted Jayasekara, former Chairman of the Kahawatta Pradeshiya Sabha Wajira Darshana de Silva, and former Sabaragamuwa Provincial Council member Nilanta Jayakody, sentencing all three to death.
The Court of Appeal subsequently acquitted the three men and ordered their release.
The victim’s wife later challenged the acquittal before the Supreme Court.
The appeal was taken up before a Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli and Gihan Kulatunga.
During the proceedings, Deputy Solicitor General Janaka Bandara requested that the court impose overseas travel restrictions on Jayasekara and the other respondents.
The Supreme Court subsequently ordered all three to appear before the court on October 21 and imposed travel bans on them.
President’s Counsel Nalin Ladduwahetty, President’s Counsel U.R. de Silva and President’s Counsel Anuja Premaratne appeared for the respondents. President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris represented the aggrieved party.
Police sources said that the discovery that Jayasekara had already left for Thailand, on August 31, has raised concerns over the timing and enforcement of the travel ban.
Sources said that the CID had notified the Attorney General’s Department and was taking further action in relation to the development.
By Pradeep Prasanna Samarakoon
The number of deaths from dengue fever in Sri Lanka has risen to 73 this year, with 96,228 cases reported across the country so far, according to the Dengue Control Unit.
The latest figures indicate that dengue continues to pose a significant public health concern, with 737 new cases recorded during the first four days of September alone.
Dengue infections peaked in July, when 29,964 cases were reported, according to the latest data. June recorded the second-highest monthly total, with 21,533 cases, while 10,155 cases were reported in August.
Earlier in the year, 8,590 cases were recorded in May and 7,866 cases in January.The Western Province remains the worst-affected area, accounting for more than half of all dengue cases reported nationwide. A total of 50,851 cases have been recorded in the province, representing 52.84% of the country’s total.
The Southern Province has recorded 13,950 cases, followed by the Central Province with 8,818 cases and Sabaragamuwa Province with 7,925 cases.
Sun directly overhead Galle, Angulugaha, Imaduwa, Telijjawila, Yatiyana and Tangalle about 12.08 noon today (07)
Showers above 50 mm are likely at some places in the Uva and Eastern provinces.
Harshitha’s composed knock seals Sri Lanka’s semi-final berth
‘Choka Malli’ slips out of country before travel ban
Dengue death toll rises to 73
Ranil accuses govt. of undermining democracy
‘Dates have the highest sugar content to fight Coronavirus’
Sunday Island 27 December – Headlines
#SundayIsland 17th December – Headlines
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