6 October 2022 09:06 am Views - 93
By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The Court of Appeal yesterday issued summons on State Minister Sanath Nishantha to appear in court to show cause as to why he should not be punished for Contempt of Court.
Accordingly, Sanath Nishantha was ordered to appear before Court of Appeal personally on October 13.
The Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and R. Gurusinghe made this order pursuant to a contempt of court application filed by the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka (JSASL), the sole organization representing all the District Court Judges and Magistrates in the country.
The JSASL President Magistrate Prasanna Alwis and its Secretary Additional District Judge Pasan Manoj Amarasena filed the application naming State Minister Sanath Nishantha as the respondent.
The petitioners are seeking an order to punish State Minister Sanath Nishantha for the offence of Contempt of Court.
The Petitioners state that the Executive Committee of the JSASL had passed a Resolution on 25th August 2022, concerning the subject matter of the application.
The petitioners stated that on August 23, 2022, Sanath Nishantha addressing a press conference held at the party headquarters of the SLPP, made a statement which amounts to a direct interference with the due and proper administration of Justice.
The petitioners further state that the respondent is a suspect in a matter pending before Court and several judicial orders have been made in the said proceedings concerning the respondent.
The petitioners are of the view that by the said statement, the State Minister has attempted to intimidate the Judiciary in general, and attempted to influence future orders by the Courts.
The petitioners are further seeking an order to issue a Rule on the respondent directing him to show cause as to why he should not be punished for contempt of Court.
President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva appeared for the petitioners.