Ranil goes to Court against Political Victimisation Commission

The petition alleges that the manner in which the Commission conducted its investigations was completely illegal.

The petition also seeks an interim injunction suspending the implementation of the recommendations and findings against him (Wickremesinghe) of the Commission on pages 17-21 of the report.Retired Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne, Chairman of the Commission, members Chandrasiri Jayatilleke and Chandra Fernando, Secretary to the Commission and Secretary to the President have been named as respondents in the petition.

Petitioner Ranil Wickremesinghe has stated that he was summoned by the Commission to give evidence and accordingly appeared before it on September 04, 2020. The petition states that there was a reasonable expectation that the findings and recommendations against him would not be included in the report of the Commission as the Commission had informed it that it was treating him as a witness.The petitioner states that he was not given a charge sheet and there was no complaint against him when he was summoned to the Commission.

However, the petitioner points out that according to the report, pages 17-21 of the Commission, the report contains findings and recommendations against him.The petition states that the manner in which the Commission conducted its investigations is contrary to Section 7 (2) of the Commission Act No. 17 of 1948.Wickremesinghe has pointed out that the manner in which the Commission investigated was completely against the law and that they had acted beyond the powers vested in them.

The petitioner also pointed out that the Commission’s investigations, recommendations and findings were unconstitutional.Therefore, the petitions also seek the issuance of a writ order nullifying the recommendations and findings of the Commission.

The petition also seeks an injunction restraining action on the recommendations. The petition was filed by the Vidanapathirana Law Firm.