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PUCSL takes U-turn on retrospective electricity price hike

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Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL), the island nation’s power regulator, has taken a U-turn and agreed to the cabinet decision on a retrospective electricity tariff hike with immediate effect after a meeting with President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Janaka Ratnayaka, the PUCSL Chairman, earlier had told media that the cabinet decision to raise electricity tariff retrospectively was against the law and he would not allow such price hike.

“We had a discussion with all the directors of PUCSL on January 12, after the cabinet decision was published where we had decided to not to implement any retrospective electricity tariff going against the electricity and the PUCSL act,” Ratnayaka told reporters on Friday.

“On January 19, all the directors were asked to come to the National Council to discuss this. But before that other three members of the board were called by the President without informing me,” he said.

“After the meeting, at the National Council these three members said they did not receive the decision on time and did not have the time to review the cabinet decisions and data. They said because of that they had agreed with me”.

Ratnayaka said the three commission members went back on the decision taken at the board meeting on January 12, which was that the cabinet decision should be implemented immediately.

“They (the three members) had 7 days from January 12 to 19 and within those days they could have informed me in writing that they had revised their decision. Without doing that, they put me in trouble by suddenly changing their decision in front of the National council,” Ratnayaka said.

“If anyone can (change and) implement an independent commission’s decisions like this, we are doomed. I will personally take legal actions against their actions in the coming days.”

After the National Council, members have asked for a board meeting. Ratnayaka said a board meeting will be called next week.

“Me as the Chairman of the PUCSL and many other members of this organization are strongly stand on our decision,”

He said the tariff needs to be increased and the scientific method of implementing it is now being carried out by the PUCSL.

(economynext.com)

(Except for the headline, this story, originally published by economynext.com has not been edited by SLM staff)

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Release of 3 suspects : AG Dept. responds

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The Attorney General’s Department states that the 03 suspects named in the letter by the Attorney General to the CID on Jan. 27, are not suspects arrested over the murder case of slain Sunday Leader Editor – Lasantha Wickrematunge.

In a media release, the department says that the recommendation was in relation to the abduction of Wickrematunge’s driver, who was not an eyewitness in the murder investigation.

The investigation into Wickrematunge’s murder has not concluded, the statement further notes.

The complete media release in sinhala is as follows :

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BASL opposes possible cabinet review over AG decision linked to Lasantha murder

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The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has raised concerns over a possible review by the Cabinet of Ministers over the Attorney General’s decision to release three suspects related to the murder of former Sunday Leader Editor – Lasantha Wickremetunga.

“The BASL is firmly of the view that decisions of the Attorney General in criminal matters should not be reviewed by the political authorities including the Cabinet of Ministers as that would undermine the independence of the office of the Attorney General, which is crucial to uphold the rule of law,” the BASL said in a letter to President Anura Kumara Disanayake.

The BASL said whilst the AG is a public functionary and as such is accountable to the public for his decisions, the AG performs a quasi role in respect of criminal matters.

“As such, the Attorney General has to decide whether or not to charge a suspect based on the material available and submitted to him by the investigating authority… In doing so, he will be required to consider whether such material is admissible in law and whether based on such material, there exists a reasonable prospect of a conviction, the BASL states.

“…we urge Your Excellency to ensure that there is no unwarranted interference with the exercise of the powers of the Attorney General and we trust Your Excellency will continue to protect the independence of key institutions including that the office of the Attorney General which is essential to protect the rule of law in our country,” the BASL further notes.

Sri Lanka’s Attorney-General Parinda Ranasinghe (Jnr) ordered the discharge of Premanand Udalagama, a former military intelligence officer, and Prasanna Nanayakkara, the then-DIG, who was remanded and bailed after evidence linking them to the murder and sabotaging the investigation. The decision has sparked widespread outrage.

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Ravi K submits motion to abolish MP pensions

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United National Party MP Ravi Karunanayake today (Feb. 07) submitted a Private Members’ motion in Parliament calling for the abolition of pensions for parliamentarians.

The motion seeks to end the pension scheme currently available to MPs.

Noting that an opinion of a certain political party has turned this into a ‘betrayal’, leading to the public’s trust in MPs being damaged, MP Ravi said he sought to restore this.

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