Govt. to present Batalanda Commission Report to Parliament this week: Cabinet Spokesman
Wednesday, 12 March 2025 06:00 – – 7
The decision, revealed at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing, follows a renewed focus on the report by President Anura Kumara Disanayake at the session on Monday.
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa yesterday said that the report was a key topic of discussion at the latest Cabinet meeting, where the Government decided to formally table it in Parliament for further deliberations.
He stated that once the report is presented, the next course of action will be determined with subsequent decisions and legal steps to be announced accordingly.
Following last week’s interview televised on Al Jazeera’s ‘Head to Head’ program featuring former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, calls for the release and implementation of the report’s recommendations have grown with multiple parties calling on the Government to take action.
When asked if the Government intends to act on the findings or merely discuss them, the Cabinet Spokesman clarified that the Attorney General’s Department would be responsible for initiating any legal proceedings based on the report’s findings.
Addressing speculation that the move was politically motivated against Wickremesinghe ahead of Local Government polls, Dr. Jayatissa denied any such intent, emphasising that transparency and accountability were the Government’s primary concerns.
He assured that the Government remains committed to addressing the report’s findings in accordance with public expectations, adding that Parliamentary discussions will play a crucial role in shaping the next steps.
Despite being submitted to then-President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga. The Batalanda Commission’s recommendations were never implemented, raising long-standing concerns over accountability. (CdeS)