A group of opposition parliamentarians submitted a formal motion to Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne on Tuesday calling for a parliamentary debate to condemn what they described as encroachments by the Executive on the Judiciary.
The motion, prepared on the instructions of the Opposition Leader, was handed to the Speaker by Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunathilaka, Deputy Opposition Whips J.C. Alawathuwala and Ajith P. Perera, and several other opposition MPs.
The move is the most concrete legislative escalation in a week-long opposition campaign over remarks by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the May 1 NPP rally in Maharagama, where he said he would raise his hand after the Supreme Court delivers its 25 May ruling. Critics said the comment suggested prior knowledge of the verdict.
The motion follows a collective opposition statement on Monday, separate criticism by Prof. G.L. Peiris and Namal Rajapaksa, and a formal expression of grave concern by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. The National Freedom Front and the Sarvajana Balaya had earlier characterised the President’s remarks as undermining public confidence in the courts.
Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has rejected the criticism, saying the President “has never interfered with the judiciary.” It is now up to the Speaker to decide whether to schedule the debate and on what timeline.
Source: Ada Derana.
