Sajith and Harshana clash over Commonwealth Lawyers Association

Wednesday, 9 September 2026 00:08 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara yesterday clashed in Parliament over the standing of the Commonwealth Lawyers Association (CLA).

This was after Premadasa cited concerns raised by CLA President Steven Thiru over Supreme Court proceedings on the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, warning that perceptions of eroding judicial independence could undermine investor confidence and foreign direct investment.

Nanayakkara said the CLA does not enjoy official status like the Commonwealth Secretariat, describing it as a private, membership-based organisation. “It is a club for fee-paying members,” he said. He added that he was not suggesting the CLA was a “bad organisation” and acknowledged it carries out constructive work.

Premadasa said the CLA was a statutory body, or ‘rajathanthrica’ (diplomatic/official body), acknowledged by Commonwealth member nations. The CLA’s own website, however, describes itself as an affiliate professional body with fee-paying members drawn from the Commonwealth’s legal fraternities.

On Thiru’s request for a meeting during his visit to Sri Lanka, Nanayakkara said the CLA’s Sri Lankan representative, Upul Jayasuriya, had sought the meeting and that he had agreed to it, but it could not take place as he was outside Colombo on the proposed date. Premadasa said Thiru had also sought a meeting with the Ministry Secretary and had not been granted one, and challenged the Government to bring a resolution declaring it does not recognise the CLA if that reflected its position.

Premadasa said some petitions filed against the 22nd Amendment had not been heard in open court, and that he had attempted to raise the matter earlier under parliamentary Standing Orders and Article 121 of the Constitution but had not been given the opportunity to fully present his concerns. He argued that all petitioners should be heard before the process is considered complete.

Turning to the economy, Premadasa said the Government requires substantial funding for infrastructure and transport projects and therefore needs stronger growth and higher FDI. “While building expressways, the country is also moving at express speed to destroy democracy,” he said, warning that investors would be reluctant to enter a country lacking confidence in its democracy, judicial independence and rule of law.

Premadasa also criticised the Government’s proposed changes to public healthcare, referring to recent proposals to direct patients through a primary care or family doctor system rather than allowing them to visit major hospitals at their own discretion. He said President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had previously advocated strengthening healthcare as a fundamental right while in Opposition and argued the Government should instead address shortages of medicines, medical equipment and surgeries.

He further criticised the Government over welfare benefits, paddy prices and the rising cost of living, accusing it of failing to implement its election manifesto commitments.