Charge sheet ready to remove PUCSL Chairman: Minister

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 the 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 before 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 has refused to issue an Assessment of Fitness certificate citing some previous allegations against Ratnayake. Also, 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 has approached through some 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.

The minister said the PUCSL Chairman is placing the whole country against the wall and is responsible for this power cut. (Darshana Sanjeewa Balasuriya)