PSC, NPC appointments: CA refuses to grant interim order

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

COLOMBO: Judge of the Court of Appeal Justice K. Sripavan yesterday refused to grant the interim order that sought to stay the newly appointed members to the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the National Police Commission (NPC) from functioning in their respective capacities until they would be duly appointed in terms of the 17 Amendments to the Constitution.

The court fixed the oral hearing for the petitioner's application for granting Leave to Appeal for Wednesday (7) after the petitioners' Counsel Elmore Perera moved to appeal to the Supreme Court against the order. Petitioners Dr. A.C. Visvalingam, President of the Citizens' Movement for Good Governance, and Susil Siriwardane of Avadhi Lanka both of Colombo 7, cited the Attorney General, the President to the Secretary, the Prime Minister, the Speaker, the Opposition Leader, Parliamentary Group Leader of all the political parties other than the SLFP and the UNP, newly appointed members to the PSC and the NPC as respondents.

The petitioners in this writ application challenged the appointments made to the PSC and the NPC. They alleged that the appointments were unconstitutional.

They stated that the President on April 10, appointed nine persons to the PSC and seven to the NPC by-passing the Constitutional Council which was currently defunct due to the failure of the political parties in Parliament other than the SLFP and the UNP to nominate a member. The petitioners sought to quash the appointments made to the two committee.

Elmore Perera appeared for the petitioners.

President's Counsel Srinath Perera with Daya Pelpola appeared for the Leader of the Opposition. Senior State Counsel Nerin Pulle appeared for the Attorney General.