Tuesday Oct 13, 2026
Tuesday Oct 13, 2026
Tuesday, 13 October 2026 02:50 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has called for the urgent convening of the Parliamentary Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection to review prison regulations on the attire of Buddhist monks and other religious clergy in custody.
In a letter dated 10 October, 2026, addressed to the Committee Chairperson through the Speaker, Premadasa raised concerns over the implementation of the Department of Prisons’ Standing Order No. 550.
A serious controversy had arisen over the attire worn by members of the Maha Sangha and clergy of other religions while serving prison sentences and when being taken outside prison premises, he said, claiming that the Government’s apparent failure to intervene promptly and constructively had caused considerable public distress.
Premadasa said the Legislature had a responsibility to review the existing regulations and recommend amendments to address these concerns, and requested that the committee be convened without delay to examine the matter.
He proposed that representatives of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, the Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs, the Department of Prisons, the Attorney General’s Department and other relevant institutions be summoned to the committee’s first meeting.
Citing the national importance and sensitivity of the issue, Premadasa also sought permission to participate in the committee’s proceedings although he is not a member, saying he intended to present proposals and recommendations to help resolve the controversy.
