President Maithripala Sirisena‘s brazen attempts to manipulate the Judiciary are underway with Sirisena delaying the appointments of two new Supreme Court judges whose names have been approved by the Constitutional Council.
Sirisena
Two new judges – namely S. Thurairaja and Gamini Amarasekera – are yet to take oaths as Supreme Court judges although two positions on the bench remain vacant. The two judges, promoted from the Court of Appeal, have unblemished track records and have not been accused of political bias thus far.
The Constitutional Council selected them from the four names presented to the council by the President. One other name that was recommended by the President was Deepali Wijesundera, the judge who convicted Former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka in a politically orchestrated trial under the Rajapaksa rule. The Constitutional Council declined to endorse her appointment.
Sirisena’s resistance to appointing the two new judges comes ahead of the hearing of a crucial case, in which the apex court will determine the legality of his move to dissolve Parliament prematurely and declare snap elections.
While Sirisena is deliberately delaying the appointments of two new judges, the Attorney General, on the instructions of President, has asked for a fuller bench to determine on the constitutionality of the dissolution of Parliament.
Suspicions have been raised in the legal circles if the Attorney General’s move is aimed at getting partisan and corrupt judges to hear a crucial case that will have a lasting impact on the country’s Parliamentary democracy.
One such judge is Eva Wanasundara whose questionable links with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was exposed by Colombo Telegraph in a recent article.
Wanasundara, in an interview with ‘Deshaya newspaper’ in July 2014, publicly admitted that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa was one of her closest friends during the ‘Law College Days’.
In the same interview, Wanasundara said, “I was suddenly called up to Temple Trees by President Rajapaksa. He just asked me to drop by at Temple Trees on my way home after work. I was surprised at this gesture but went to meet the President nevertheless. Upon greeting me, the President said he was going to appoint me a Supreme Court judge and asked if I had any concerns. I was shocked by the sudden announcement. At the same time, I felt so happy as I always wanted to become a judge and suddenly, the person in front me was offering exactly what I wanted.”
Further explaining the level of her close friendship with Rajapaksa, Wanasundara said, “One day, one of my colleagues had shown a picture of me to another friend saying he had an affair with me. Mahinda, a close friend of mine then, had seen this incident. He promptly conveyed this to me as he was concerned that it could bring me a ‘bad name’”
There were allegations that Wanasundara soft-pedalled several cases involving the members of the former first family, especially former Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa, due to her alleged connection with the former President.
Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / November 23, 2018
Why the President Sirisena needs to hoodwink or manipulate judiciary as he has all the right granted from the constitution to sack a government and he will definitely come out as the winner on the 07th December 2018 purely because he has the Executive power to sack the government, appoint a Prime Minister, dissolve the parliament and go for a referendum for any of his actions.
In case of any Parliamentary election, Phottuwa will be winner with a Landslide.
/
Richard / November 23, 2018
Yes to a goat who cannot read and understand clearly the constitution, the President’s action is legal but not to the majority of literates including the SC who stayed the President’s order to dissolve Parliament. Come 7th, take the 145 bus to ANGODA.
/
Ranjan Fernando / November 24, 2018
Nimal Tissa wijethunga,
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry reading what you have conveyed. No wonder the average IQ of Srilankans is way down at 79 now, while Singapore, a country where we had to export our teachers and professors when they became independent, at their request to educate the nascent nation, now stands at the top with 108!
Few more Sirisena’s and Rajapakse’s DNA will bring it down even further!
Aren’t there sufficient people in the country who could read our constitution and understand what it says so clearly? Leave alone the English version at least the Sinhala version?
/
Colombege lmao / November 23, 2018
Dayasiri mocks the people,
We don’t have Westminster, we have a Constitution with 100%politicians power, we can do anything we want and no one can touch us, we have proven it, now you grass eating people can continue to eat grass while we eat fried chicken and buriyani while your children starve ?
/
Jay / November 23, 2018
Want to find out how long President can delay. Is there a time limit. The judge who convicted SF will be the preferred candidate now. Gong Sira is capable of cancelling and appoint Wijesunda. He is a lunatic
/
D .Nimal / November 23, 2018
Current Parliament speaker of Karu J…. that house that democracy of majority hijack by TNA of Tamil Terrorist and JVP anarchist by blessing of” great countries democracies” of USA & UK rules.
The Present Parliament under pre-review of USA and UK supervision ,all political agendas dratted that to Speaker is derived from USA and UK Embassies in that Colombo base team -work.
The democracy….lost in Parliament minority of that UNP has handover to the leadership Political parties of JVP+TNA they who bomb House chamber in 1988/89 & 1990. Well that role of covered operation of Democracy values in chamber which is undermined by TNA, LTTE, MC and JVP decision has taken over Parliament management under current speaker of Karu J….
It has all lost vales of had been recognized by that is the last-long institution survival of Parliament .
We as nation uncertainties has been created by Speaker . That ugly head has rise again that this extremely dangerous moment that just led by UNP and his ex-govt. Therefor our the nation under current Speaker Parliament has become bizarre.
A new govt. under MR is election coming soon it is possible to get over 140 members in chamber.
I think UNP Ranil Wicks and Karu J””still needs to go further along the democratic line of repentance and acceptance of failure of responsibility for Economic -Political mess by UNP govt. has founded, itself since 2015 January 8th?
I am in view that the broader question of weather mess of whole system of political-economic order that we as nation are making under UNP of RW ourselves ungovernable since 2015 January 8th.
/
Emil van der Poorten / November 23, 2018
D.Nimal:
Would urge you, in future, to get someone to translate what you write into ENGLISH because, while the script and words are English, there is no meaning whatsoever to what you send in and CT, for whatever reason, chooses to publish.
/
Nic / November 24, 2018
His language is think in Sinhala or whatever his mother tongue is and try to put English alphabets hoping he is writing English.
/
R. Manawadu / November 23, 2018
I have 35 years experience as a lawyer in Solicitor General’s.
–
I can tell you the views in the article clearly constitute contempt of court. Since the article is not attributed to any author, CT will have to carry the offence. Those responsible for publishing CT will be extradited to Sri Lanka, despite any claims of persecution.
–
As we understand CT has no assets or other financial resources except a computer, the penalty is likely to be a jail sentence to the website registrant.
–
This is an unbiased legal opinion and sorry that it is slightly bitter medicine for those who pour anti-Buddhist, anti-Sinhala bile on this website.
–
All crimes ultimately suffer punishment and no crime goes unpunished!
/
Emil van der Poorten / November 23, 2018
R.Manawadu:
Now that you have passed your judgement, we will wait to see whether, “Those responsible for publishing CT will be extradited to Sri Lanka, despite any claims of persecution.”
Would you please place a time limit on your judgement so that we can observe how accurate it has been?
Your talk about “those who pour anti-Buddhist, anti-Sinhala bile on this website” is a dead giveaway of one of those spouting the kind of rhetoric that is DIAMETRICALLY opposed to what Buddhist philosophy speaks to. You belong to the army that preaches the antithesis of what Prince Gautama preached and practiced.
/
Hymie Spy / November 23, 2018
I don’t respond to vested interests-loaded opinions of land thieves who have n’t the decency to hand over stolen property.
–
Nice to note that the listening devices are recording interesting bum music from wherever.
–
Get your hymie friends to sniff them too if they have the Israeli technology. Swear they smell of roses!.
/
Nimal Fernando / November 23, 2018
You need to ask your Israeli and Winter sources to listen carefully to the recordings of their listening devices (you posed questions about!). Also ask them to listen with new technology that allows ‘sounds of smell’ too.
–
I vouch they will experience the sell of roses like they have never done before!
/
hancho pancha / November 23, 2018
Mr. R. Manawadu,
How you expect the general public to get to bottom of the truth and be informed and wise?? We need to be full of gratitude to CT for providing a voice for those hapless and stomped by bandits flexing their muscles rejuvenated by gullible masses overcome by ignorance.
/
Uncommon man / November 26, 2018
Never heard of a person called R.Manawadu claiming to be from Solicitor General’s.
Neither have I heard of an institution called Solicitor General’s.
There is only the Attorney General’s Department. Solicitor General is the second i n command.
/
hancho pancha / November 23, 2018
Conduct of Maithripala Sirisena as the President of Srilanka is detrimental, damaging and prejudicial to the good of the country and the Srilankans. He is behaving like a bull in a china shop. Certainly there is the violation of trust of all those 6.2 millions] of the voters by doing exactly opposite to what was expected of him by them. Therefore, he must be impeached.
/
Plato. / November 23, 2018
Contempt of Court?
.There is a sizable number of people in this country who have Contempt FOR Court!
CT IS ONLY HIGHLIGHTING this aspect.
/
Nimal Tissa Wijethunga / November 23, 2018
Richard the bull, I cannot help you to improve your brain capacity to understand a very simple matter.
Better you have a dose of poonac as your staple as a bull.
Conduct of Maithripala Sirisena is the best as he makes use of the constitution to the highest order originally prepared JR – beloved uncle of Ranil ho raised both arms to vote it and get the pain viciously when applying to themselves.
/
English Chris / November 25, 2018
As a foreigner i am struck by the level of linguistic incoherence and confusion displayed in this debate . The yobbish threats, insults and abuse are truly impressive .Indeed I had thought our Brexit’ referendum reched an all time low for national idiocy until your president chose to go one better.
/
Patricia / November 26, 2018
English Chris,
I read the comments and wonder if anyone comprehends any thing.. No language skills in thought or word. Sadly CT publishes as otherwise no web comments will be available. I guess this is the result of ‘vernacular only’ policy persued by governments. Only a minority cultivated English the universal language. Most of Our parliamentarians will not be able to write a sentance as a comment.
/