News
SJB threatens to move SC against recommendations of PCoI on political victimisation
By Saman Indrajith
Chief Opposition Whip and Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday said that the SJB would move the Supreme Court against the recommendations of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on political victimisation.
Addressing the media at the Opposition Leader’s office in Colombo, MP Kiriella said that the party had consulted its legal advisors to explore the possibility of filing a case against the Presidential Commission of Inquiry on political victimization for exceeding its mandate. “We have not yet received the report officially. When we get it we plan to take legal action against it. We have requested the Speaker for a copy of the report. He said he would do so. He is duty bound to make a copy available to Parliament.
“We first asked the Speaker for the report on Jan 28. As per the Constitution the President is responsible to Parliament therefore he has a duty to send the report to MPs through the Speaker.”
When it was pointed out the yahapalana government of which MP Kiriella was a leading member too had appointed anti-corruption Commissions which could not deliver results and caused a waste of public money, the MP said those Commissions had been tasked with only fact finding.
“Thereafter, those facts should have been forwarded to the Department of Attorney General and the Bribery Commission for further actions. There has been a delay in that process but the Commission completed its fact finding mission.”
The Chief Opposition Whip said: “There is a discussion in the media on attempts to deprive some prominent person of their civic rights. This country has a legal system that has provisions to take punitive actions against anyone who had committed an offence or political victimization. The government has to abide by the law. We have set an example in this regard. When we came to power in 2015 there had been requests from various quarters to appoint commissions to investigate the wrongdoings of some politicians and to strip them of their civic rights. But the then President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe stated clearly that there was a legal system and the law should take its own course. They stood by the decision that there were the police, attorney general department and judiciary and those institutions were sufficient to implement the law and did not move to appoint special presidential commissions to take actions against their rival political parties. Opting to make use of such commissions to punish political rivals is actually an outdated mechanism. It was former President JR Jayewardene who introduced the practice of depriving political opponents of their civic rights. That goernment incurred international opprobium That was why no government since 1981 has resorted to such action, but the incumbent government seems to be convinced otherwise.”
The main Opposition, Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), and the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) yesterday (21) moved Supreme Court against Treasury Secretary Mahinda Siriwardana over his failure to provide funds required by the Election Commission to conduct the Local Government polls, ignoring an interim order issued by the apex court, on 03 March.
Ranjith Madduma Bandara, MP, is the petitioner for the SJB and Vijitha Herath, MP, moved court on behalf of the JVP, the leading party in the Jathika Jana Balawegaya (JJB).
Two Opposition parties declared action against Siriwardana the day after the Freedom People’s Alliance (FPA) issued a seven-day ultimatum to the Finance Secretary to release the funds.
EC Chairman Nimal Punchihewa is on record as having said that in spite of SC directive he didn’t receive fresh funding.
The petitioners sought the issuance of summons on Siriwardana for contempt of court over failure to carry out its interim orders, given on 03 March.
The petitioners want the Finance Secretary punished in terms of Article 105 (3) of the Constitution.
The SJB stated that Siriwardana had refrained from carrying out the March directives, on the basis of a Cabinet decision, taken on 13 Feb., 2023. The SJB also pointed out that the offensive conduct of the Treasury Secretary, inter alia, causes grave prejudice to the esteemed authority of the Supreme Court and in turn disturb the public confidence in the authority of the highest Court in the country. (SF)
Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara told Parliament yesterday that fuel prices would be reduced considerably according to the fuel price formula at the next fuel price revision, due in April.
The Minister said that the government would be able to procure fuel shipments, at lower prices, during competitive bidding, with the receipt of the IMF bailout.
There had been practical issues, and problems, in opening Letters of Credit, and obtaining credit facilities, in the recent past, as Sri Lanka could not give a guarantee to fuel suppliers, Minister Wijesekara said.
“We could not open LCs and obtain credit facilities when procuring fuel. After the IMF bailout, we will be able to procure fuel at lower prices during competitive biddings. We will be able to obtain a long-term credit facility as well. Fuel prices in the global market seem to have declined and the rupee has also gained strength against the US Dollar. Having considered all these factors, fuel prices will be reduced by a considerable margin which could be felt by the people,” he said.
News
IGP tells CID not to brook any interference from any quarter while they probe ’Harak Kata’ and ‘Kudu Salindu’
By Norman Palihawadane
IGP CD Wickramaratne has directed the CID to maintain a special log of names and details of any attempts by external parties to influene the ongoing investigations on notorious drug traffickers Nandun Chinthaka Wickramaratne aka Harak Kata and Salindu Malshika aka Kudu Salindu.
The suspects are currently under the custody of the CID.
The IGP issued the orders to the DIG CID and its director during a meeting of senior police officers on Monday, police headquarters said.
Sources said that the IGP has further instructed not to allow statements from the detainees to be taken by any police team other than the team currently investigating the suspects.
Showers in Sabaragamuwa, Central, Uva and Southern provinces and in Polonnaruwa district
SJB, JVP move SC against Finance Secy. for contempt of court
IMF Executive Board approves US$3 Billion under the Extended Fund Facility arrangement for Sri Lanka
-
Features5 days agoEarth’s Greatest Rivalry
-
News3 days ago
Sri Lankan recognized as a Fellow by Society of Architectural Historians
-
Breaking News6 days ago
Credit Suisse slump renews fears of global banking crisis
-
News6 days ago
Underworld figures flown to Colombo from Madagascar
-
Editorial5 days ago
Smash glass ceiling
-
News3 days ago
New orchid species discovered in Walankada Forest Reserve
-
Features5 days ago
A middle path for Sri Lankan agriculture: Sustainable intensification – II
-
Opinion6 days ago
Role of professionals in achieving economic recovery
