Legal obstacles prevent Pillayan from taking oaths

By Easwaran Rutnam   

Legal obstacles prevented Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pullikal (TMVP) Leader Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan alias Pillayan from taking oaths as a minister in Kandy yesterday. 

A source close to Pillayan said that he could not secure legal clearance to attend the swearing-in ceremony.   

However, a spokesman for Pillayan said that he is still expected to receive the post once he is cleared to meet the President and accept the documents.   

Pillayan, who is currently in remand prison, contested the just concluded General Election in the East on the TMVP ticket and secured a seat in Parliament. He had been invited to attend the swearing-in ceremony in Kandy yesterday to accept a Ministerial post.   

According to sources, discussions were underway to seek legal clearance for Pillayan to attend the ceremony in Kandy today but he failed to secure the clearance.   
Pillayan is currently in remand over the murder of former Tamil National Alliance Parliamentarian Joseph Pararajasingham.   

The Attorney General had indicted Pillayan with 06 other persons in the High Court of Batticaloa for offences committed under Sections 32, 102, 113[b], 140 & 146 of the Penal Code read with Section 2[1][a] , 2[i] & 3[b] of the Prevention of Terrorism [Temporary Provisions] Act No. 48 of 1979 as amended by Act No. 10 of 1982 and Act No. 22 of 1988 in connection with the killing of former Member of Parliament for Batticaloa District Joseph Pararajasingham.