Provincial High Court Judge, Susantha Kumara, of the North Central Province, made an open Court observation yesterday saying, the people should pelt stones at whoever misuses public property and that such candidates should be taken care of in future by the public. Judge Susantha made this observation while dismissing a petition filed by the ‘Api Purawesiyo’ organization alerting that the former North Central Provincial Minister had illegally assigned several official vehicles for the upcoming election.
The Judge also said such issues like this would not be arise if the government officers are capable of holding their heads high against any power interrupting their services.
While dismissing the petition, the Judge noted that the North Central Provincial High Court does not have authority to inquire into this petition.
The Judge said though the petitioners in their petition had named the former North Central Province Minister as a respondent, no clear reason has been mentioned in the petition to justify his name being in the petition.
The Judge also said only the Court can issue verdicts on clear facts and details and cannot issue any verdict, if facts and details are not clear.
The petitioners had named former North Central Provincial Minister Burty Premalal, Governor’s Secretary Chandra Karunaratna, Chief Secretary of the North Central Province W.G. Dayananda, Secretary of the Provincial Health Ministry Nayana Dasanayake, Secretary of the Provincial Ministry of Agricultural R.K. Premasiri, Secretary of the Provincial Council A.M.W.A. Amunugama, Director of the Provincial Education Nirmala Ekenayake, President of the Transport Board U.A Dissanayake as some of the respondents in connection with the petition.
By Chinthaka Chandrasiri
CT