Prime Minister rejects President's claims on SG Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe today (Sept 23) rejected claims made by the President that he had suggested the name of Solicitor General Dilrukshi Dias Wickramasinghe to be appointed as a Supreme Court judge.

“According to the constitution, only the Chief Justice and the Attorney General are vested with the powers to make recommendations to such posts,” the Prime Minister said in his statement.

Accordingly, Mr. Wickremesinghe claimed that he had not violated the constitution and that previous verdicts issued by the Supreme Court have shown individuals who have been found guilty of doing so.

Last year, the Supreme Court held that President Sirisena's gazette to dissolve Parliament was unconstitutional.

In his statement, the Prime Minister stressed that Ms. Wickramasinghe had not served at the Anti-Corruption Committee Secretariat, which the President claimed to have been set-up at Temple Trees.

He pointed out that the anti-corruption body had been set-up outside Temple Trees and that it was Deputy Solicitor General Thusitha Mudalige who represented the Attorney General's Department.

The Prime Minister urged that investigations should be expedited into the alleged telephone recording between Ms. Wickramasinghe and Avant Garde Chairman Nissanka Senadhipathi, during which the former had regretted taking legal action against a floating armoury owned by Avant Garde Maritime Services.

"I don't know why such allegations are being made against me when the Presidential election has been announced," Mr. Wickremesinghe said in his statement.

He noted that if there were any issues against him or the Ministers, such matters could be taken up at cabinet meetings or by inquiring individually.

Further, the Prime Minister said that he would not respond to any further allegations which could be levelled against him in future.