The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees,

¶ 02 I raised in the morning with the Hon. Speaker a procedural issue: the Emergency Gazette must be accompanied by the applicable Regulations. Where are those Regulations? This House should not repeatedly allow such lapses. We sought clarifications, not to oppose for its own sake.

¶ 03 Further, on equal application of the law: in the bribery case against Ranil Wickremesinghe, he was produced before the Magistrate, remand/ bail considered, and only thereafter were indictments filed. But in the case against Minister Kumara Jayakody, they have moved to file indictments while halting the Magistrate’s consideration of remand or bail—two different procedures for two persons. This is wrong. If indictments are to be filed, the suspect should first be produced before the Magistrate and, if necessary, remanded, as per due process.

¶ 04 For the record: the High Court case number is HCB 481/2026; the Bribery Commission file is 1059/2015.

¶ 05 Regarding Mr. Saleh’s case: on 4 March, in case no. 35822/24, the Magistrate asked whether he was recorded as a suspect; police replied they were still “considering,” yet he was taken into custody under constitutional and PTA powers. This is an abuse of the PTA and due process. Even his 21‑year‑old son needs a police report to visit him. Such practices must stop. The law must be equal for all.