Lawyers reject President’s review offer

President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s statement that he would appoint an independent panel to review the report by the seven Government members of the Parliamentary Select Committee is an admission by the President that the PSC was an unlawful process and that the report is flawed, the Lawyers Collective charged yesterday.

The Bar rejects the President’s offer of review and calls for the immediate withdrawal of the PSC report, the Lawyers Collective said.

The Collective, which is an umbrella organization of several legal associations is represented by Dr. Jayampathi Wickremaratne PC, Constitutional Lawyer and activist, J.C. Weliamuna, Attorney at law Srinath Perera and many other eminent legal professionals issued a statement in response to the President’s undertaking about an Independent committee late last night.

“Any future inquiry must take place only after a fair procedure and tribunal are lawfully introduced. Until then the agitation of the Bar will continue,” the statement said.