INDEPENDENCE OF THE JUDICIARY CONSOLIDATED BY GOVT.: PRESIDENT
The era in which the judiciary was politically influenced had ended with consolidation of its independence by the government, President Maithripala Sirisena said.
Addressing a ceremony held to mark the opening of the new threestoried building of the Akurana Pradeshiya Sabha, President Sirisena said the Government had clearly portrayed the system of giving an opportunity to everybody to enjoy the benefits of peace and democracy in the last three months.
Recalling the instance where the Chief Minister of the Central Province Sarath Ekanayake had been able to petition the Court of Appeal on a an alleged covert move by some Provincial Councilors to remove him from his post by submitting affidavits in support of the Opposition Leader, President Sirisena pointed out that Mr. Ekanayaka was able to obtain a stay order from the Appeals Court preventing the move until the petition was heard.
Former Defence Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa has also been able to secure a stay order from the Supreme Court preventing his arrest until the determination of the Fundamental Rights case filed by him. “They could do so as the independence of the judiciary has been consolidated in the country”, the President stressed. “A group of judges of the Court of Appeal and District Courts met me last week to discuss their grievances and welfare. They thanked me for not interfering in the affairs of the judiciary for the last four months,” he said.
President Sirisena said the time was right to introduce a new electoral system that fulfilled the
A group of judges of the Court of Appeal and District Courts met me last week to discuss their grievances and welfare.
aspirations of all communities and voters. He said the current Preferential Representative (PR) System had come in for much criticism as it did not promote the policies of political parties but those of individuals. The political culture of the country had suffered various setbacks due to the PR system. This much abused system did not contain a political philosophy for building a country, but a system of building personalities” he stated.
Before the Pradeshiya Sabhas, the affairs of Local Government were conducted under the Village Council system. The new electoral system must bring the best and most efficient service to the people in the periphery through the grassroots level Local Government system, he added.