Special Presidential CoI gets 6-month extension

• Term of Commission extended till Oct. 2021
• Former PM and others facing charges of abuse/misuse of power and political victimisation

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has extended by six months the term of the Special Presidential Commission he set up to act against those in the last administration who are facing charges of abuse or misuse of power and political victimisation.

The Commission was set up in January and initially given three months to conclude its work but now its term has been extended till October 2021.

The Commission which has been set up under the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act, No. 7 of 1978 has powers to impose civic disability on those found guilty of abuse or misuse of power, political victimisation, and related offences during the last administration.

The members of the Commission are Judges of the Supreme Court Dhammika Priyantha Jayawardena (Chairman), Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Judge of the Court of Appeal Rathnapriya Gurusinghe.

Among the 23 persons facing charges are former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Cabinet Ministers and political party leaders for violating the Constitution and acting contrary to their oath of office.

The others include former ministers Mangala Samaraweera, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Rauff Hakeem, Sarath Fonksea Malik Samarawickrama as well as JVP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake, TNA MPs R. Sampanthan and M.A. Sumanthiran and former MP Jayampathy Wickramaratne.