It is said that appointing a High Court Judge as an Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice harms the dignity of the judiciary.

Appointing a High Court judge to the post of Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice is a great damage to the dignity of the judiciary and a dangerous precedent, former Minister, Professor G.L. Peiris said yesterday (21). The Joint Opposition, Borella, Dr. N.M.

Professor G.L. Peiris said this yesterday (21) at a special media briefing held at the Perera Centre.

He said that the executive's appointment had caused great inconvenience to the judge and had launched a massive attack on the dignity, majesty, and independence of the judiciary, and that the Joint Opposition would oppose it to the maximum extent. He also stated that the power given to governments by the people for a limited period is not a privilege, and that whoever comes to power, the democracy protected for a long time must be protected. Mr. G.L. Peiris said that in a democracy, every citizen has the right to the independence of the judiciary and the right to go to court and obtain justice, and that if a high-ranking government official hears a case against the government, there could be a conflict of interest without impartiality.

Mr. Peiris stated that the Mahanayake Theros had emphasized the importance of political party leaders embarking on a program for the country's security when he visited them in Kandy recently, and accordingly, he expects to meet political leaders separately to create a very sharp and strong public opinion against this appointment made by the executive. High Court Judge M.P.T. Bandara has been appointed as the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, according to the Judicial Service Commission.

Mr. Peiris said that the Secretary had recently informed all judicial officers by issuing notices that if any judge has any dealings with the Ministry of Justice, or needs any service or equipment, they should contact Judge M.P.T. Bandara and no one else, and that this was stated in the said notice.

Mr. G.L. Peiris said that if a letter is sent to any other official in the Ministry of Justice, a copy of that letter must be sent to High Court Judge M.P.T. Bandara, and he sees this situation as a complete distortion. He also said that a judge hearing cases in the High Court has been appointed to a very high and executive-level administrative position in the government, and when that judge hears cases, justice must be served between citizen and citizen, and between citizen and government.

Mr. Peiris said that if a citizen files a complaint against the government, the Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice, a government official, will hear that case, and this undermines the very important principle of complete impartiality in the administration of justice, as well as the strong confidence that such actions are carried out impartially without any doubt. Attorney-at-law Udaya Gammanpila, leader of the Pivithuru Hela Urumaya, who participated in this press conference, said that a group from the compass government itself is protesting against the Attorney General, and that the current government is attacking the independence of the judiciary.

Mr. Gammanpila said that no former ruler, whom the current government leaders called dictators when they were in opposition, had ever targeted the Attorney General, and that the current government is trying to 'compass-ize' the judiciary. Former ministers Mahinda Amaraweera and Duminda Dissanayake, representing the Sri Lanka Freedom Party at this press conference, said that the people will have to face the lies of the current government for another 4 years, and that the opposition has no intention of overthrowing this government.