Mandate of Presidential Commission extended

The mandate of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) appointed to implement the recommendations and decisions in the final compiled by an earlier Presidential CoI that probed incidents of political victimization extended further to determine the future cause of actions. 

Accordingly, the three member CoI is tasked to scrutinize the final report to consider whether recommendations and the decisions can be justified and whether any or all of the same, should be implemented or otherwise pursued with further legal action. 

CoI is also given powers to launch “ any limited or general investigation or further investigation, into any matter arising from and within the terms of this amended terms of reference,” if any requirement arose. 

Publishing an Extraordinary Gazette dated April 1, the Secretary to the President detailed the mandate of the Commission which will look into whether any laws of the country or Constitution violated when making any appointment, transfer, granting a promotion or terminating the service of someone in the past.

The new mandate of the CoI also include the powers to recommend whether a person should be subjected to a community disability (striping civil rights) according to the provisions of Article 81 of the Constitution and Section 9 of the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act No. 7 of 1978.

The members of the newly appointed PCoI are Supreme Court Judge Justice Dhammika Priyantha Samarakoon Jayawardena, Supreme Court Judge Justice Khema Kumudini Wickremasinghe and Court of Appeal Judge Justice R.Gurusinghe. The commission is headed by Justice Jayawardena.

The three Commissioners are vested with powers to conduct necessary investigations, inquiries and provide the final report or an interim report on relevant investigations, inquiries, recommendations and conclusions together with the foisted punishments within three months from the appointed date to the President.

In December last year, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into Political Victimization handed over its final report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa by its Chair  retired Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne. The Commission received 1971 complaints for investigation. The 2043 page final report consists of three volumes.