UPFA wants Ranil to withdraw his statement on Gota’s interim order

By Jayashika Padmasiri

The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) yesterday defended the Supreme Court (SC) decision in relation to former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s interim order.

Asserting that it was completely in line with the law, the UPFA requested Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to withdraw his statement in this regard as it undermined the Sri Lankan Judiciary.

From left: SLFP MPs Susil Premajayantha, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Thilanga Sumathipala - Pic by Ishan Sanjeewa

Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva yesterday addressing a press conference pointed out that according to the Constitution, two judges could give such a SC decision as the Chief Justice had given his permission for the case to proceed with only two judges. He also noted that the Deputy Solicitor General who represented the Attorney General attended the hearing without making any arguments to the effect that a two-member panel could not issue an interim order.

“Wickremesinghe’s statement indicating he would seek advice from the Commonwealth undermines the Sri Lankan Judiciary and shows the UNP’s partiality towards foreign nations. The highest judicial body is the SC and nobody can challenge a decision of the SC in this country or aboard. Such statements by the PM are aimed at frightening and threatening judges,” Silva charged.

Silva added that if Wickremesinghe wanted the case to be heard sooner, he could have informed the Solicitor General or brought up a motion even now regarding the case.

“President Sirisena in a very humble manner accepted the SC decision, unlike Wickremesinghe. However, the SC has done nothing wrong. Therefore we ask the PM to withdraw his statement about advice from the Commonwealth and to stop trying to manipulate the Judiciary,” he said.

The UPFA also criticised the Financial Crime Investigation Division (FCID) and said that the gazette notification relating to it should be revoked as the FCID was at victimising political opponents. It further said the case of the Central Bank Governor Arjuna Mahendran was a good example which highlighted how this Government served people with different spoons.