Nalinda says Court dates are ‘common knowledge,’ amid judiciary row

Wednesday, 6 May 2026 02:07 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday defended remarks made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at recent May Day rallies of the National People’s Power (NPP) regarding upcoming Court decision expected later this month, insisting that the dates of several hearings and verdicts are already publicly known and form part of the established Court calendar.

Responding to criticism from Opposition lawmakers who alleged that statements made on May Day platforms suggested prior knowledge of judicial decisions, Dr. Jayatissa said there was nothing unusual about referring to scheduled Court proceedings, as the relevant dates were already in the public domain.

“These dates are no secret, they are already known. What was said on May Day platforms reflects that reality,” he said at the weekly post-Cabinet media briefing.

He also stated that the parties involved in the cases, as well as members of the public who follow such matters, are generally aware of the hearing dates and pending verdicts.

“The concerned parties are aware of when the Court dates are, it is generally common knowledge. That is what was mentioned on the stage at the May Day rallies. In any case, those cases have already been scheduled in the coming days, and proceedings will take place accordingly,” Dr. Jayatissa said.

During the briefing, the Cabinet Spokesman read out a list of pending verdicts and upcoming hearing dates in several cases, noting that he had tracked many of them through news reports and by following Court matters that he found particularly significant.