Vimukthi Yapa
Seventy six government members of parliament including cabinet ministers and their deputies have signed a motion calling on Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to inquire into and report on the allegations of abuse of power, misconduct and/or misbehavior that have been leveled against Sarath N Silva, former Chief Justice.
The motion asks that since such allegations charge that Sarath Nanda Silva brought the Judiciary into disrepute; And that he had failed to protect and preserve the Independence of the Judiciary and Rule of Law; a Select Committee of Parliament be appointed to inquire into the following matters and report.
The Motion calling for a PSC to inquire
and report on:
(a) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Janaka Bandara, former Magistrate, Wellawaya and whether he was compelled and pressurized to tender his resignation,
(b) the circumstances relating to the termination of the services of Mr. Hiran Ekanayake, former Additional Magistrate, Colombo and whether his services were terminated maliciously.
(c) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Sunil Lawrence de Costa, former Magistrate,
(d) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Anura Bandara, former Additional District Judge, Matara,
(e) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. D M Siriwardena, former Magistrate, Maligakanda
(f) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Palitha Bandaranayake, former District Judge, Negombo,
(g) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Prabhath de Silva, former District Judge, Nuwara Eliya,
(h) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. D. M. T. B. Dissanayake, former Magistrate, Kebithigollawa,
(i) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Harold Wijesiri Liyanage, former Additional Magistrate, Colombo,
(j) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. K. D. D. K. de Abrew, former Magistrate, Morawaka,
(k) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Y. L. Dharmasena, former Magistrate, Balapitiya,
(l) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. Nandana Weerasinghe, former Additional Magistrate, Kandy,
(m) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. A. M. D. S. Dikkapitiya, former Magistrate, Kantale,
(n) the circumstances relating to termination of the services of Mr. G. D. Kulatilake, former District Judge, Elpitiya,
(o) in addition to the aforementioned, instances where the services of judicial officers have been terminated maliciously,
(p) whether Hon. Sarath N. Silva caused the appointment as caretaker of the Judges Institute which was functioning at the official residence of the Chief Justice at 129, Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo 7, of a person by the name of Rohana Kumara, against whom several cases were pending,
(q) the circumstances relating to the formation of The Buddhist Broadcasting Services of which Hon. Sarath N. Silva is an honorary Director and the decision in CBN Sat case, where the Petitioner Muhunthan Canagey had given a donation of Rs. 65 million to start The Buddhist TV channel,
(r) matters connected with the role of Hon. Sarath N. Silva in the World Bank/UNDP funded project on modernization of Parliament, democracy and development,
(s) whether any other persons are aggrieved as a result of malicious action on the part of Hon. Sarath N. Silva during his tenure of office as Chief Justice.
2. (a) That the Committee and its Chairman shall be nominated by Mr. Speaker.
(b) That notwithstanding the provisions of Standing Order 95, the Committee shall consist of not more than thirty one (31) Members,
3. That the Committee shall have the power to, —
(a) fix its quorum;
(b) send for persons, papers and records, may order any person to attend before Parliament or before such Committee, and to produce any paper, book record or document in the possession or under the control of such person;
(c) verify or otherwise ascertain by the oral examination of witnesses and examine witnesses upon oath or affirmation which the Chairman of the Committee or a person specially authorized for that purpose may administer;
(d) obtain the services of Specialists and Experts in the relevant fields to assist the Committee; and
(e) make interim reports from time to time and to sit notwithstanding any adjournment of Parliament.
Signed by:
1. Hon. Maithripala Sirisena
2. Hon. Nirmala Kotalawala
3. Hon. Mohamed Aslam
4. Hon. Indika Bandaranayake
5. Hon. W. B. Ekanayake
6. Hon. A. R. M. Abdul Cader
7. Hon. Susantha Punchinilame
8. Hon. Ruwan Ranatunga
9. Hon. Tharanath Basnayaka
10. Hon. Vinayagamoorthi Muralidaran
11. Hon. Palany Thigambaram
12. Hon. Sarana Gunawardena
13. Hon. Jagath Balasuriya
14. Hon. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya
15. Hon. Duleep Wijesekera
16. Hon. Y. G. Padmasiri
17. Hon. Sajin De Vass Gunawardena
18. Hon. Piyankara Jayaratne
19. Hon. Manusha Nanayakkara
20. Hon. (Mrs.) Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi
21. Hon. Udith Lokubandara
22. Hon. Nimal Wijesinghe
23. Hon. A. H. M. Fowzie
24. Hon. H. M. M. Harees
25. Hon. Lakshman Wasantha Perera
26. Hon. Achala Jagodage
27. Hon. Mohan Priyadarshana De Silva
28. Hon. Nishantha Muthuhettigamage
29. Hon. (Dr.) Rohana Pushpa Kumara
30. Hon. Shantha Bandara
31. Hon. T. Ranjith De Zoysa
32. Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardana
33. Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage
34. Hon. Lasantha Alagiyawanna
35. Hon. Sarath Kumara Gunaratne
36. Hon. Tissa Karalliyadda
37. Hon. Hemal Gunasekera
38. Hon. Eric Prasanna Weerawardhana
39. Hon. Shehan Semasinghe
40. Hon. Kanaka Herath
41. Hon. Lohan Ratwatte
42. Hon. Roshan Ranasinghe
43. Hon. Gitanjana Gunawardena
44. Hon. Reginold Cooray
45. Hon. V. S. Radhakrishnan
46. Hon. Jayarathne Herath
47. Hon. Victor Antony
48. Hon. (Miss) Kamala Ranathunga
49. Hon. Siripala Gamalath
50. Hon. H.R. Mithrapala
51. Hon. Rohana Dissanayake
52. Hon. (Mrs) Upeksha Swarnamali
53. Hon (Mrs) Malani Fonseka
54. Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura
55. Hon. Vijitha Berugoda
56. Hon. Gamini Lokuge
57. Hon. Chandrasiri Gajadeera
58. Hon. C. B. Rathnayake
59. Hon. Piyasena Gamage
60. Hon. Kumara Welgama
61. Hon. Gamini Wijith Wijithamuni De Zoysa
62. Hon. Namal Rajapaksa
63. Hon. Risad Badhiutheen
64. Hon. J. R. P. Suriyapperuma
65. Hon. W. D. J. Senewiratne
66. Hon. S.C. Mutukumarana
67. Hon. A. D. Susil Premajayantha
68. Hon. Rauf Hakeem
69. Hon. Milroy Fernando
70. Hon. (Dr.) Mervyn Silva
71. Hon. A. L. M. Athaulla
72. Hon. A. M. Chamika Buddhadasa
73. Hon. Felix Perera
74. Hon. Wimal Weerawansa
75. Hon. M.B. Farook
76. Hon. Nandimithra Ekanayake,