CC to summon AG over arrest warrant on Judge Pilapitiya

This directive to arrest a judge will result in people losing their faith in the Sri Lankan Judiciary

By Yohan Perera   
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya is to summon Attorney General Dappula de Livera following a decision made by the Constitutional Council (CC) that Speaker should summon him to question about the directive he had given to arrest Judge Gihan Pilapitiya, Parliament source said yesterday.   

A statement from the Parliament media unit said some members of CC were of the opinion that this directive to arrest a judge will result in people losing their faith in the Sri Lankan Judiciary.   

These members have also taken into consideration the directives given to arrest MPs and former Defence Secretary. They have also been of the opinion that directives given by the Attorney General could affect the independence of the judiciary and the reputation of judicial officers.   

Speaker as the Chairman of CC, other members including Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa, former Leader of Opposition R. Sampanthan, Minister Mahinda Samarasinghe, MP Thalatha Atukorale and civil society members Javid Yusuf and N. Sevakumaran have participated in the meeting.   

Minister Wimal Weerawansa and MP Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe openly criticised the Attorney General in Parliament on Friday, questioning as to how a person such as Judge Gihan Pilapitiya who lodged a complaint against MP Ranjan Ramanayake whom he alleged had tried to influence him, be arrested.