The Hon. Aravinda Senarath

¶ 01 Hon. Speaker, a private entity, violating the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, has issued a letter of demand to a Government female officer for submissions made before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA), then filed a defamation application in the Court of Appeal, and a damages suit in the Colombo District Court, thereby infringing on the privileges of COPA and Parliament.

¶ 02 1. On 25 February 2025, COPA met to examine matters in the Auditor General’s Reports of 2022 and 2023 on the Colombo Municipal Council and current performance. For further clarification, Dr. Roshani Dissanayake, then Municipal Commissioner of CMC and now Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, was summoned to COPA on 27 February 2025. She clarified, inter alia, alleged irregularities in awarding public-private partnership concession projects—bus shelters, billboards, gantry signs and smart streetlights—to Richardsons Technologies (Pvt) Ltd. (COPA Minutes – Annex 01)

¶ 03 2. Subsequently, on the instructions of Richardsons Technologies (Pvt) Ltd., Attorney-at-Law and Notary R.N.S. Livera sent a Letter of Demand dated 21 April 2025 to Dr. Roshani Dissanayake demanding Rs. 1 billion and to refrain from future defamatory statements regarding the company (Annex 02). Dr. Dissanayake sought COPA’s guidance by letter RAR/COPA/05/14 dated 14 May 2025 (Annex 03).

¶ 04 3. As the Letter of Demand challenges Section 10 of the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, No. 21 of 1953, which grants immunity to persons giving evidence before Parliament or a Committee, the Secretary-General of Parliament referred the matter to the Hon. Attorney-General by letter PS/LEG/COPA/02/MC/(10)02 dated 04 June 2025 (Annex 04), and also summoned a meeting by letter dated 24 July 2025 (Annex 05).

¶ 05 4. Following her testimony on 27 February 2025, the company has filed a defamation application in the Court of Appeal and a damages action in the Colombo District Court. She notified COPA on 28 July 2025 (Annex 06). COPA decided that the Attorney-General should appear on her behalf; accordingly, by letter dated 05 August 2025 (Annex 07), the Secretary-General requested the Hon. Attorney-General to appear for her. For the damages case, the Secretary, Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, by letter HA/RAR/COPA/05/14 dated 18 August 2025, also requested the Attorney-General to appear on her behalf (Annex 08).

¶ 06 These legal actions, based on clarifications given before a Parliamentary Committee, challenge Section 16 of the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act, which provides immunity to persons giving evidence before a Committee. This could set an adverse precedent affecting Parliamentary committee procedures. Therefore, I kindly request that this matter be referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges to take appropriate steps to safeguard the continuity and independence of Parliamentary processes and the privileges of COPA and Parliament. Thank you.

¶ 07 Annexes 01 to 08 tabled.