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Time permitted was inadequate - Presidential Secretariat

Out of four groups of prisoners recommended by the Interior Minister John Amaratunga to be released from prison on a Christmas Parole, President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga approved the release of two groups, the Presidential Secretariat announced in a media release yesterday.

According to the Presidential Secretariat, the Minister's request dated December 23 in this connection was received by them on December 24 while the recommendation for the Amnesty had to be implemented on the following day, the 25, Christmas day.

Accordingly, the time permitted for the President's decision was totally inadequate to consider the relevant provisions under the Constitution governing the exercise of powers by the President to grant paroles to convicted prisoners. Under the circumstances, there did not occur any delay on the part of the President in this connection, as made out by some media personnel, states the press release.

The President having approved the parole for two groups of prisoners, has called for the observations of the Minister in respect of the other two groups which she deemed are contrary to the accepted principles relevant to the exercise of her powers, it states. 

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