Speaker meets AG over concerns with directive to arrest HC judge

• AG explains procedure followed when issuing such directives
• Speaker requests AG to ensure dignity of office of the persons against whom such directives are issued
• CC members raised concerns that such directives could undermine Judiciary and other institutions

By Chandani Kirinde

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya met with Attorney General Dappula de Livera on Tuesday night to discuss concerns over a directive issued by the AG to arrest High Court Judge Gihan Pilapitiya.

Jayasuriya, who chairs the Constitutional Council (CC), met De Livera at the Speaker’s official residence where he informed the AG of the concerns that were raised at a meeting of the council last week. Those at the meeting said that the directives issued by the AG to arrest members of the Judiciary, parliamentarians and other public officials could undermine public confidence in these institutions, particularly the Judiciary.

The AG had provided a lengthy explanation on the procedures adopted when issuing such directives to the police and in response the Speaker had asked him to ensure that the dignity of office of the persons  against whom such directives were issued was upheld so that people’s confidence in such institutions  was not diminished.

The CC, which met last Friday, had discussed the implications of the AG’s directive with regards to Pilapitiya, with some members expressing concern that this would undermine the independence of the judicial system and the professional dignity of judges.

The controversy arose after the AG directed the Police to obtain a warrant to arrest Pilapitiya, who is being interdicted on the recommendation of the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) after phone recordings of his conversations with UNP MP Ranjan Ramanayake went public.

The CC also discussed the arrests of MPs on the directive of the AG as well as the arrests of the IGP and the former Defence Secretary and decided that the AG should be summoned for a meeting with the Speaker.

The CC is chaired by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya and its members include Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, former Opposition Leader R. Sampanthan, MPs Mahinda Samarasinghe, Thalatha Atukorale and civil society representatives attorneys Javid Yusuf and N. Selvakumaran.