Supreme Court Interim Order on LG Election becomes a privilege issue?

COLOMBO (News 1st); State Minister Shehan Semasinghe raising a privilege issue in parliament on Friday (10) noted that it is a serious offense to proceed with the Interim Order given by the Supreme Court on 3rd March, when the matter is already produced to the Committee on Parliamentary Ethics and Privileges.

He requested the Deputy Speaker to advise relevant authorities not to proceed further or take any action on the interim order with regard to the Local Government election until the Committee on Parliamentary Ethics and Privileges concludes its hearing on the privilege issue raised by MP Premanath C Dollewatte.

MP Premnath C. Dolawatte told Parliament on 7th of March that the powers and privileges of Parliament have been violated by the Interim Order issued by several judges of the Supreme Court on March 3rd, 2023.

On March 3rd, the Supreme Court, considering Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara’s petition, issued an Interim Order to the Finance Ministry Secretary and the Attorney General preventing them from withholding the funds allocated for elections in Budget 2023.

Dolawatte claimed the said Interim Order can be viewed “as clear breach of privileges and powers of Parliament.”

MPs from the opposition led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa on Friday (10) met with the Deputy Speaker to discuss the privilege issues raised by State Minister Shehan Semasinghe, and MP Premnath C. Dolawatte with regard to the Supreme Court order on funding the Local Government Election.

The opposition believes that such privilege issues create a conflict between the Legislature and the Judiciary.

The Opposition MPs have requested the Deputy Speaker to dismiss the privilege issues raised by MP Dolawatte, and State Minister Semasinghe.