PSC to request for a month's extension in order to wind-up inquiry

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) Investigating the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks plans to ask for a month’s extension to wind up the inquiry and finalize its report. 

By Sandun Jayawardana

The Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) Investigating the Easter Sunday terrorist attacks plans to ask for a month’s extension to wind up the inquiry and finalize its report. 

PSC Chairman Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri told Times Online that the Committee had already started on its report but said they plan on asking Parliament to extend the Committee’s term by about a month, since the initial period of three months given to the PSC to complete its report and hand it over to Parliament expires at the end of August. 

The motion to set up the PSC, which was supported by all parties in Parliament, states that the Committee shall present its report within three months of the date of its first sitting or such other or further time period as Parliament may grant. The PSC’s first sitting was held in late May. 

The Deputy Speaker also said he intends to consult PSC members further over plans to summon the three-member committee appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena to probe the Easter Sunday attack to testify before the PSC. The three-member committee had earlier been expected to be summoned before the PSC on August 20.  

Two members, former Inspector General of Police N.K. Illangakoon and former Ministry Secretary Padmasiri Jayamanne have already testified before the PSC separately on an earlier occasion. They told the PSC then that it was better if all three members were present together to answer some questions the PSC had. Supreme Court Justice Vijith Malalgoda is Chairman of the committee appointed by the President.   

The  PSC comprises Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri, Rauff Hakeem, Ravi Karunanayaka, Dr Rajitha Senaratne, Dr Jayampathy Wickramaratne, Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, M.A. Sumanthiran and Dr Nalinda Jayathissa.