CC last hurdle cleared, but more problems likely

Although the deadlock over the last member of the Constitutional Council (CC) has been broken and the path cleared for its reactivation, more problems are likely to crop up over officials appointed by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to top posts during the council’s hibernation.

Human Rights Commission member D. Jayawickrema said members of the commission would quit only if the CC made a request. Organisation of Professional Associations Vice President Tudor Munasinghe said once the CC was constituted it could either endorse the appointments made in its absence or ask the members to resign.

The OPA in a letter to the President on Friday urged him to confirm the appointments to the CC forthwith and make it operational. The CC has been defunct for more than two years due to a dispute among minority parties over their nominee. Last week, they reached consensus on the nomination of former Auditor General A.C. Mayadunne and removed the last hurdle for the reactivation the Council.