Opposition MP Kavinda Jayawardena has called for an inquiry into a statement made by Government MP Lakmali Hemachandra, who was captured on video telling officials not to implement a court order.
The video, which went viral this week, shows National People’s Power (NPP) MP Lakmali Hemachandra saying, “We told you not to follow the court order,” during a District Coordination Committee meeting held to discuss housing and land disputes in Colombo.
Jayawardena said he was awaiting the government’s response and urged immediate action against the MP, noting that her remarks represented a direct challenge to judicial independence.
The incident took place during a meeting chaired by Deputy Minister of Public Security Sunil Watagala, where officials discussed the eviction of families occupying state-acquired land on Dabare Mawatha, Narahenpita. The Road Development Authority (RDA) had obtained a court order to remove the residents, who have lived in the area for decades.
During the discussion, several local politicians pleaded on behalf of the affected families, stressing that many of them had lived there for over 25 years and had nowhere else to go if evicted. It was in this context that MP Hemachandra made her remark, saying, “We discussed this last week, didn’t we? I said then not to implement the court decision against them because they have nowhere to go. Didn’t we come to such an agreement?”
Deputy Minister Watagala immediately responded, saying, “If there is a court decision, we do not interfere with its process,” while acknowledging the residents’ plight. He added that while the government could not violate a court ruling, it was working on a plan to provide alternative housing and had requested the RDA to delay action until that plan was implemented.
The video clip of Hemachandra’s comment has drawn heavy public criticism from the Opposition, which accused the MP of undermining the judiciary and setting a dangerous precedent for political interference in court matters. (Newswire)