• All members of the ruling party in parliament have expressed their agreement for this and steps will be taken to remove him according to the provisions in parliament

By Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya  

Power and Energy Minister Kanchana Wijesekara said that a charge sheet related to the removal of the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Janaka Ratnayake is being prepared and will be presented to the Parliament soon.  

Speaking at a media briefing, the minister said legal action will also be taken against the PUCSL Chairman.  

“The necessary legal proceedings against the PUCSL chairman and the charge sheet for his removal have been prepared by now. All members of the ruling party in the parliament have expressed their agreement for this and steps will be taken to remove him according to the provisions in parliament,” he said.  

The minister also claimed that prior to being appointed as the PUCSL Chairman, Janaka Ratnayake, he had requested then President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to appoint him as the Chairman of the Commercial Bank.  

“His name had been forwarded to the Central Bank. But the CBSL had refused to issue an Assessment of Fitness certificate citing some previous allegations against Ratnayake. Further, a parliament selection committee in 2012 has recommended that he should not hold any position in a government institute. 

The minister questioned as to how he was appointed as the PUCSL Chairman by the Constitutional Council despite those recommendations,” he said.  
He also alleged that Janaka Ratnayake had approached certain political parties to appoint him as a national list MP.  

Meanwhile, the minister said the Ceylon Electricity Board will be able to provide uninterrupted power supply from the day after the PUCSL approved the new electricity tariff structure.