Plans underway to set up 64 High Courts and Appeal Courts:

No one can interfere with judiciary - President

Raja Waidyasekera - Tissamaharama special corr.

No one has the right to interfere with the judiciary and its independence, said President Mahinda Rajapaksa. The President was speaking at a meeting after opening the Tangalle courts complex Saturday. It was built at a cost of Rs 358 million in place of the colonial era courts complex.

President Rajapaksa said that they must be able to bear the judgement of a court of law even if that judgement inconveniences them and causes hardships politically or otherwise.

“We must bow our heads and retain the dignity of the judiciary,” he said.

Calling the judiciary, the devalaya of truth and justice, the President said the people’s confidence in the judiciary has not shattered upto date.

“The people must get relief and peace of mind from the devalaya of truth and justice. That relief and peace of mind should come to a person at the earliest possible period. It is only then the people will honour the judiciary and law and order,” President Rajapaksa said.

Hearing of cases in some courts have been delayed for years. As a solution for the delay, arrangements have been made to set up 64 High Courts and Appeal Courts.

There are certain cases pending for 30 years in certain court houses. Litigants are the worst affected as a result because their innocence or justice have not been meted out. A litigent will not be satisfied until he is meted out a judgement he expects from the court of law, the President said.

There was an era when a Law College or a court house did not function in the North East according to the country’s law and order. Today law and order is maintained from Point Pedro to Dondra,President Rajapaska said.

No one has the right to go against the country’s law and order. If a country is to progress, law and order should function to the utmost satisfaction of the people, he said.

”I myself went to courts in search of justice with regard to violations of my human rights. I am a lawyer, but I was also remanded for three months in a certain case.

We must accept the judgement of a court of law because law does not take into consideration to caste, creed or political bias,” he said.

There is a section of people in Sri Lanka who spread false allegations against the of courts of law in the country and tarnish the image of the judiciary. This type of activities should be condemned, President Rajapaksa said.