President’s Media Unit fabricates story of CJ’s “move to enter politics”

Tuesday, 27 November 2012

The Presidential Media Unit is strategically carrying out a campaign to publicize the story that Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake has plans to enter public politics. The story is being publicized by Mahinda Illeperuma from the President’s Media Unit under the supervision of Minister Dullas Alahapperuma.

Illeperuma had summoned several journalists from national newspapers to the President’s Media Office and asked them to publicize a story saying that the JVP and UNP MP Ravi Karunanayake is engaged in discussions with the Chief Justice to make her the common opposition candidate at the next Presidential election.

He had instructed that the story be published in a manner that would create doubts in the mind of the UNP Leader and his loyalists and to bring down the Chief Justice’s image as a person with political aspirations.

The journalists had been further advised to highlight the Chief Justice who usually arrives and leave the Supreme Court complex from a back door had used the front door to leave for the parliament and that she had put down the shutter of her vehicles and greeted the media when the cameras were focused on her. These have been pointed out as signs of a person with an intention to enter politics.

When inquired, senior lawyers affiliated to the Chief Justice said she had no intention of entering the disgusting politics in the country.

The lawyers said that the Chief Justice was fighting against the charges leveled against her amidst pressure from senior government members for her to resign from the post in order to safeguard the good name of the judiciary, the office of the Chief Justice and her name. They noted that it would create a bad precedent for the judiciary and future Chief Justices if she gave into pressure and resigned.

One of the senior lawyers pointed out that Dr. Bandaranayake has served as a Supreme Court judge for 16 years and that she had not accepted the three duty free vehicle permits offered during the period. The lawyer explained that if she was greedy for cash, she could have easily sold the three permits for Rs. 10 million. Therefore, Dr. Bandaranayake is not a person to be controlled by offering positions and perks.

A senior Finance Ministry official when inquired confirmed that the Chief Justice had not accepted any duty free vehicle permit.