Reveal names of those from whom advice was sought: SJB MP

Amidst the decision of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana to be firm on his ruling on the motion of the Domestic Debt Restructuring (DDR) process, the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) came out with more questions, calling him to reveal the names of the experts whom he had sought advice from.

SJB MP Eran Wickramaratne who referred to the ruling requested the Speaker to reveal the names of the legal experts from whom he had obtained advice before giving the ruling on the DDR in Parliament last week.

“The Speaker said he had sought the advice of some legal experts before giving the ruling. We would like him to reveal who these experts are, so that we can also question them. We would like to ask them whether the Speaker can give a ruling on a motion. If a motion is passed in Parliament to abolish the judiciary, then is the government legally bound to implement it as in the case of a legislation?” he also questioned.

Also, the SJB MP proposed an amendment to the law to make provisions to enable a ‘post judicial review process on Bills’. 

"Sri Lanka does not have a post judicial review process on Bills. There is no way of determining whether the amendments that are usually made for legislations during the committee stage in the House are consistent with the Constitution or not,” he stressed.

The Speaker last week in his ruling said no court established under the Constitution of Sri Lanka is empowered to issue orders or judgments of any nature against a resolution, already passed by Parliament. (Yohan Perera)