Courtesy The Daily Mirror

Leader of Opposition Sajith Premadasa in a letter addressed to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene today urged the latter to convene the Parliament Council to discuss about the sudden transfer and removal of officers attached to the Elections Commission. Premadasa in his letter informed the Speaker that Parliament Council which is ultimately responsible for the appointment of persons to independent commissions and officers servicing those commissions under the constitution should be convened to discuss the transfer and removal of officers attached to the polls commission.

  “The procedures pertaining to officers attached to the Elections Commission goes beyond normal procedure and norms pertaining to the removal and transfer of normal state officers. It is also essential to keep the officers attached to the polls commission without transfering them to other institutions. This is because their expertise is essential to ensure free and fair elections. Besides such transfers and removal of officers will prevent free and fair elections in the future,” he said in his letter.  The latter was signed by SJB MP Kabir Hashim as well. (Yohan Perera)