A cross-party group of senior Opposition figures has written to Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena alleging a “grave onslaught” on judicial independence, citing remarks made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the May Day rally in Maharagama.
The signatories include former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) representative M.A. Sumanthiran, former MPs Asath Sally, G.L. Peiris and Premnath C. Dolawatte. The letter is the first cross-party formal complaint to the Chief Justice from a former Head of State over presidential conduct in relation to a pending case.
According to the letter, the President said during his May Day speech that the hearing in a specific pending case had concluded the previous day and that judgment would be delivered on 25 May. He reportedly urged listeners to be prepared to greet the judgment with warm applause.
“The President purports to have previous knowledge of a judgment yet to be delivered. It is a fundamental principle of our constitutional system that justice must not only be done, but must manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done,” the signatories wrote. They described the remarks as a “despicable attempt to put pressure on a judge in relation to a case being heard before him.”
The Opposition group argued that the gravity of the situation is heightened “by the fact that the pressure emanates from no less than the Executive President of the Republic,” and asked the Chief Justice to consider appropriate action.
The letter follows a separate complaint by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) over the same May Day remarks. President Dissanayake, responding hours after the letter became public, said the same day that no one, including the President, was above the law.
