The Hon. Ajith P. Perera

¶ 01 Mr. Speaker, the issue here is not about Mr. Liyanage personally. In the public service, Mr. Liyanage is junior to Mr. Kularatne. Kularatne is senior; Liyanage is junior. Therefore your argument does not hold.

¶ 02 Next, there is a natural principle of justice that one should not adjudicate one’s own cause. In Mr. Liyanage’s order it is stated: “Mr. Kularatne repeatedly stated that the investigation against him is due to the Speaker’s animosity towards him. I have no capacity to state whether that is true or not.” Who says this? Retired Additional Secretary, Attorney-at-Law S. K. Liyanage—the very inquiry officer. Even he cannot conclude whether the allegation against you is true or false. You know the principles of natural justice. When there are concrete assertions—borne out through investigations—of your personal animosity towards Mr. Kularatne, and when the inquiry officer himself says he cannot pronounce on whether that is true or false, how can you, Mr. Speaker, guide these inquiries and preside over decision points while holding the office of Speaker? Please hand this to an independent process. By your office, by propriety, and by the rule of law in this country, it is entirely wrong for you to continue to act in this matter.