28 March, 2024

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Attorney General Says MP Car Permit Abuse Is Not A Matter Of National Importance

The Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that ‘car permit abuse is not a matter of National Importance’ and therefore there is no need for a fuller bench to be nominated to consider the case filed by a right’s activist over the abuse of car permits given to MPs.

However, despite the Attorney General’s stand, the Supreme Court decided to refer the matter to the Chief Justice to consider nomination of a special bench and afforded an early date on 18th July 2016 to the right’s activist to support the case.GAMMANPILA PERMIT

The case filed against the President Maithripala Sirisena and Finance Minister Ravi Karunanayake by rights activist Nagananda Kodituwakku for MP car permit abuse. The Attorney General gave his standing on the matter when the case was taken up at the Supreme Court yesterday.GAMMANPILA ENTRY

The activist submitted to the Court that the matter involves gross betrayal of people’s executive and legislative power by the Cabinet of Ministers and MPs as they have betrayed the power entrusted in them by the people purely on trust to commit revenue frauds and therefore there is an unavoidable national duty vested in the Judiciary, to take cognizance of these financial crimes and deal with wrongdoers decisively and appropriately.

Producing two permits and the Customs declarations presented to Customs by Udaya Gammanpila and Asanga Semasighe for clearance of two more Toyota Land Cruisers Diesel vehicles recently, evading the payment of fiscal levies of Rs. 33.5 million each, the activist submitted to the court that the MP permit abuse would incur over Rs. 6 billion in revenue loss as permits are freely sold in the open market for Rs. 25 million or more as the permits have been issued with no conditions attached. Therefore, considering the National Importance in the case where the people’s executive and legislative power have been openly abused the activist requested the Court to fix the matter for early date to support before a fuller bench.

However, the Attorney General submitted to the Court that the ‘permit abuse is not a matter of National Importance’ and therefore there is no need for a fuller bench to be nominated to consider the matter.

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Latest comments

  • 11
    2

    MP Car Permit is not of national importance!Attorney General

    As in the west – for security reasons freedom of information can also be curtailed .

  • 5
    1

    The AG is saying that abuse of car permit is not of national importance.Where is he living in Sri Lanka or somewhere else?these are the people we have in top positions.So how can the country progress?the general public has to pay the price

  • 4
    1

    The AG is a moron. I wonder how he managed to get his appointment to the post. Political influence, perhaps? Aren’t the MPs supposed to set an example to the people they represent? Also we are talking about billions of rupees lost to the government and it is surely of importance in this time when the government coffers are empty. Hope the Chief Justice has more sense than this moronic AG.

  • 2
    1

    IF ATTORNEY GENERAL CAN MAKE DECISION NO NEED OF JUDGES.

  • 2
    2

    Minister Thalatha says that except her and PM Ranil all other MPs have sold their car permits.

    Work out the revenue loss = Rs 223 x Rs 30,000,000 (minimum loss sustained by the govt) = 6,690,000.00

    Pocketed by MPs = 223 x 25,000,000 (Net profit for permit sale) = Rs 5,575,000,000.00

    After this massive fraud involving 223 MPs is challenged, in AG’s view this is not a matter of National importance.

    All this time I thought AG’s role is to uphold the Constitution and the Rule of Law. Anyway it is good the AG has made it clear to the people that the role of the AG in Sri Lanka, is different, to fire all his guns and defend the corrupt government, paying no respect to his Constitution role.

    • 1
      1

      Why is the BASL silent?
      Is it not it’s bounden duty to clearly express it’s support or condemnation on the atrocious stand taken by the AG?
      on the matter of the abuse by MP’s of their car permits?

    • 0
      1

      Why is the BASL silent?
      Is it not it’s bounden duty to condemn the atrocious stand taken by the AG on the matter of the abuse by MP’s of their car permits which cause a massive loss to the people of the country?
      Is it scared of the AG?

      • 1
        1

        Corruption begets corruption. So BASL and other institutions of Judiciary naturally become the by-products. When corrupt psyche is eating into our moral values, it pave the way for all crimes in the society.It is imbedded in the society. BASL loves it because it feeds them with lot of clients and better rewards. Just like the corrupt doctors would like to see more patients – More sick people more money-.

    • 3
      0

      Dabarera ,
      It’s the privilege of the politicians who break their promises to the poor fools who vote for them.
      Peter Mohan Maithree Peiris, was an international liar AG, CJ.
      Kanagasabapathy J. Sripavan is the other crook called `honest demela`who said the same regarding the nomination of failed MP.

      First they are crooks then polished as politicians and finally they pass their legal exams. BASL.

  • 0
    1

    ” … Attorney General Says MP Car Permit Abuse Is Not A Matter Of National Importance”

    Of course not. Car permits have been sold from the time the system began, maybe in a smaller scale, but nobody made a fuss then & the previous regime made it perfectly legal, just in case there were doubts. So what’s a few billion rupees of lost revenue when it can recouped with stealth taxes like VAT, Nation building tax, etc & a bit more import duty on everything. After all it is only the ‘wealthy’ who indulge in these purchases. The comfort of hard working politicians, Govt. officials & other important people like Doctors have to be acknowledged for their service to the country, no doubt the AG himself is a beneficiary of these perks. So what if these people who serve the country make a few bucks, the rich who wants a new luxury car still get a better deal with a purchased permit, the brokers & car importers get their commission, so everyone’s a winner, that is, apart from the average bloke who invariably pays tax on his monthly salary but who gives a shit about them.

    So my immense respect for activists like Mr Kodithuwakku. Like Bob Marley’s song, ‘Don’t give up the fight’ & stand up for our rights.

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