Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara responded in Parliament after Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa raised concerns highlighted in Commonwealth Lawyers Association President Steven Thiru’s report on the Supreme Court proceedings over the proposed 22nd Amendment.
The Minister did not specifically respond to the individual concerns raised in Thiru’s report over procedural fairness, transparency and public confidence in the proceedings.
Nanayakkara said the Commonwealth Lawyers Association is not officially affiliated with the Commonwealth Secretariat, describing it as a private, membership-based organisation.
However, the Minister stressed that he was not suggesting the CLA was a “bad organisation” and acknowledged that it carries out constructive work.
Responding to the issue of Thiru seeking a meeting with him, Nanayakkara said CLA’s Sri Lankan representative Upul Jayasuriya had requested a meeting and that he had agreed to it, but the meeting could not take place as he was outside Colombo on the proposed date.
Premadasa had earlier cited Thiru’s concerns over procedural fairness, judicial independence and the handling of the 22A petitions, warning that perceptions surrounding judicial independence could also undermine international confidence and foreign investment. (Newswire)