UNP accuses former Chief Justice of duplicity

Monday, 20 July 2015 00:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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The United National Party (UNP) yesterday accused former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva of duplicity after he extended support to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa just months after he had campaigned for his defeat.

Justice Minister and former UNP Parliamentarian Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that people like Sarath N. Silva were a disgrace to the Judiciary.

He recalled that Sarath N. Silva had earlier backed President Maithripala Sirisena at the 8 January presidential election and called for the defeat of Rajapaksa at the polls.

Sarath N. Silva had also publicly apologised for a ruling he had given when he was the Chief Justice in support of Rajapaksa in the ‘Helping Hambantota’ case.

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that by backing Mahinda Rajapaksa at the 17 August Parliament election, Silva had placed doubts in the minds of the public over the Judiciary.

The Minister also noted that the statement made by Sarath N. Silva and some others in the Mahinda Rajapaksa camp that President Maithripala Sirisena could not appoint the next prime minister was not accurate.

Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe said that under the Constitution, the President had the authority to appoint someone as prime minister who he felt had the majority support of Parliament. (Colombo Gazette)