Lanka’s statutory panels to lose independence

Sri Lanka’s statutory commissions, which were established to de-politicise the various institutions of public administration, are set to lose even the little independence they have.

According to The Sunday Times, the Mahinda Rajapaksa government is planning to amend the constitution soon to give the President the power to appoint the chairpersons and members of these commissions.

The paper quoted top ministers to say that the 17th Amendment would be changed to give powers to the President to appoint the chair and members of the Election Commission, Public Service Commission, Police Commission, Human Rights Commission and the Bribery and Corruption Commission.

These commissions stopped functioning some time ago because appointments to them were entangled in political squabbling.

Rajapaksa had also strongly felt that the “independence” of these commissions was interfering with his own constitutional rights.

[Full Coverage]

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