Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa has revealed alleged action by the government to influence the judiciary and the Election Commission.

In a special statement issued today (17), the Opposition Leader charged that the government has suddenly convened the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business today and has submitted a motion to appoint a ‘select committee’ to investigate the way the Election Commission and its members worked on the country’s election program.

Stating that the motion will be taken up in Parliament tomorrow (18), he also claimed that the government is in a hurry to take up this motion only to apply pressure on the newly appointed Election Commission and the hearings before the court in order to coerce the court and the Election Commission to implement the government’s agenda instead of implementing the democratic agenda.

The opposition leader said that a select committee will be appointed in Parliament tomorrow to investigate how the Election Commission dealt with the local government election affairs to give a hint and an indirect threat to the current Election Commission that it should work according to the government’s agenda, or else, it would have to appear before a Parliamentary Select Committee.

He also said that this also gives a hint that if the judges do not act according to the whims and fancies of the government and the court decisions are not implemented accordingly, even the judges can be brought before a select committee and put under pressure.

The opposition leader pointed out that at a time when everyone is talking about a system change in a bankrupt country, the decrepit and outdated system is being implemented through this select committee by playing this political game and political magic.

While pointing out that this government, by its activities, has already deprived the people of their sovereignty, freedom and universal franchise, MP Sajith Premadasa said that the government is going to put pressure on the judiciary and the Independent Election Commission, adding that it is not Members of Parliament of People’s Alliance whose privileges have been infringed but 22 million people in the country.

Stating that no room will be given to take away the independence of the judiciary and apply undue pressure on the independent and impartial Election Commission, MP Premadasa vowed that he will work for the upliftment of the 22 million people by strengthening the independence of the judiciary and the Election Commission and democracy by bringing together all parties of the Opposition. MP Sajith Premadasa further emphasized that they will defeat all these insidious attempts on the part of the government to destroy democracy.