TAKES A NEW TURN

Council passes resolution calling for his re-appointment

More than 90 members who were present at the Council meeting voted in favour of the motion

Mr. Anura did not heed to this request and transferred the person in charge of the record room of the Municipal Council as soon as he took up the post of Commissioner

The issue relating to the transfer of former Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) Commissioner V. K. Anura had taken a new turn, with a resolution being passed on May 30 in the CMC calling for his re-appointment.

CMC Member Roy Bogahawatte told the Daily Mirror that the resolution was passed unanimously when it was taken up in the Council on May 30.

Mr. Bogahawatte said more than 90 members who were present at the Council meeting voted in favour of the motion.

Also, he said Mr. Anura had filed legal action against his transfer and had appealed against it with the Public Service Commission.

“Mr. Anura has the right to appeal against his transfer because the appointment of his successor Lalith Wickramaratne is not legitimate as

he is not a Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) officer. It is a SLAS officer who could replace Mr. Anura as per the procedures,” Mr. Bogahawatte said.

Mr. Bogahawatte said that Mayor Rosy Senanayake had informed the former Governor of Western Province Azath Salley who resigned recently to appoint a suitable person as the commissioner. However, Ms. Senanayake told the Daily Mirror earlier that she has nothing to do with the transfer of Mr. Anura as it was done by the Public Service Commission. Meanwhile, SLPP Member of the Municipal Council Sharmila Gonawala said Mr. Anura was appointed as the Commissioner of the Council by former Western province Governor Hemakumara Nanayakkara giving him three advices.

First one she said was to refrain from influencing the inquiry against him and other officers of CMC which was going on at that time.

“Mr. Anura did not heed to this request and transferred the person in charge of the record room of the Municipal Council as soon as he took up the post of Commissioner. There must have been manipulation of evidence as a result of it. Besides, Mr. Anura was held responsible for the Meetotumulla tragedy in 2016 by the Presidential Commission appointed to look into it. Mr Anura was transferred on this basis,” she said.

Also Ms Gonawala said no one could challenge a decision made by an independent commission - the Public Service Commission - under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

“A person could be fined or could be subjected to imprisonment if he or she challenges a decision made by an independent commission. This is stated in section 61- C of the Constitution where a person could be fined Rs 100,000 or be subjected to imprisonment if he or she interfered with the commission,” she said.