Ex-CJ responsible for Z score crisis - Minister

Sandasen Marasinghe and Irangika Range

Education Minister Bandula Gunawardena said in Parliament yesterday that ousted Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake should be responsible for the 2011 GCE Advanced Level Z score crisis. The minister said when the Z score issue turned controversial, the ministry appointed a committee of five professors. They were ready to present their opinion to the Supreme Court. But Chief Justice Bandaranayake allowed only Prof R O Thattil to present observations before the court. The Supreme Court verdict was passed on the basis of observations made by a single professor.

“As a government, we are bound to respect the decisions of the Supreme Court irrespective of the person sitting on the chair of the Chief Justice”, the minister said. The minister said this in response to a question raised by Kurunegala District UNP MP Dayasiri Jayasekara.