Broadcasting Authority draft bill will be rejected by SC :Prof. G.L. Peiris

• Assures his faction’s fight against draft bill will commence before courts
• Claims it has many language and legal errors, proving it was drafted by Government stooges who are inexperienced and ignorant about drafting legislation
• Says his faction, Opposition parties, civil society and media will form broad platform to defeat Govt. efforts to curtail media freedom

Freedom People’s Congress (FPC) Member MP Prof. G.L. Peiris yesterday opined that the Broadcasting Authority draft bill will most likely be rejected by the Supreme Court due to its many legal errors.

Peiris said his party will challenge the draft bill in court and he is confident it will be rejected by the Supreme Court.

“It has many language-related mistakes as well as legal errors,” he said. Peris also said he believed that a landmark judgement delivered by former Supreme Court Justice Dr. A.R.B. Amarasinghe in 1997 will also directly affect this draft bill. “The Supreme Court will not sanction this,” the MP said.

Peiris said his faction along with other parties of the Opposition, civil society and media organisations will prevent the draft bill from being passed in Parliament.

“The citizenry is tired of this Government. In response, the Government attempted to bring the Anti-Terrorism Act but there was a local and international wave of opposition that arose against it. The Government was forced to bow to the pressure. Where is that act now?” he asked. “What happened to the Central Bank Act? The Supreme Court found that one-third of it did not comply with the Constitution,” Peiris noted. The MP slammed those drafting the recent bills calling them inexperienced and ignorant. “It is evident they have no basic knowledge about drafting legislation. The Government has outsourced the drafting process to those without knowledge or experience who are merely carrying out the work to please various persons in power,” he alleged. “Government stooges are drafting these bills,” he added. The senior MP said his faction along with the Opposition will not allow the enactment of legislation that seeks to prevent elections and curtail media freedom in the country.

“Our fight to protect media freedom will commence from the courts. We will then bring the entire Opposition, media and civil society groups to a broad platform to defeat these condemnable efforts of the Government,” he said. The MP warned that a ‘Tsunami’ of public opposition is on the rise and the Government will not be allowed to carry out its acts of suppression.