CC meets to discuss progress of independent commissions

Members of the Constitutional Council at the meeting yesterday 

• Expresses confidence in EC and praises it for its work
• Issues of shortage of investigating officers at Bribery Commission also discussed 

The Constitutional Council (CC) which met yesterday expressed its full confidence in the Election Commission (EC) and praised it for the work it is carrying out under trying circumstances.

The CC meeting chaired by former Speaker Karu Jayasuriya was held at the Speaker’s official residence and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and former MPs R. Sampanthan, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Bimal Ratnayake and Thalatha Atukorale were in attendance.

CC civil society representatives Javed Yousuf and Naganathan Selvakumaran and Parliament Secretary General Dhammika Dasanayaka were also present at the meeting.

The CC met to discuss the process of the independent commissions with Jayasuriya briefing those present on the progress made by them.

The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery and Corruption (CIABOC) had informed the CC that it had selected 200 Police officers after a competitive examination held in 2018 but due to the delay in granting them the letter of appointment the work of the Commission has got hindered.

The matter was also brought to the attention of the Prime Minister and the CC decided to instruct the Chairman of the Bribery Commission to discuss the matter with the Police Department and get the necessary personnel seconded to the Commission.

The progress of the Human Rights Commission, the Public Services Commission and the Finance Commission were also issued at the meeting.