SC to take up former Treasury Secretary's application today

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

A Bench of seven Supreme Court Judges today will take up the application filed by former Treasury Secretary P.B. Jayasundera seeking that he be declared free to retake the office of Treasury Secretary.

The Bench will comprise Chief Justice Asoka de Silva, Justice Dr. (Ms.) Shirani Bandaranayake, Justice (Ms.) Shiranee Thilakawardane, Justice Saleem Marsoof PC, Justice Jagath Balapatabendi, Justice K. Sripavan, Justice P.A. Rathnayake. On the last occasion a five-judge Bench of the Supreme Court having heard the submissions of the parties decided to appoint the Bench of seven Supreme Court Judges.

The former Secretary to the Treasury made the application seeking to relieve him from an affidavit tendered to the Supreme Court in the Fundamental Rights Application against the Privatization of the Lanka Marine Service Ltd.(LMSL).

The former Secretary to the Treasury filed the motion seeking to relieve him from an affidavit dated October 16, 2008 given to the Court stating that he would not in future accept any offices in the Government. The former Secretary to the Treasury stated in his motion that the President had requested him that his service as the Secretary to the Treasury and the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance and Planing was required in the national interest.

The petitioner, however, stated that the affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court in pursuant to a court order in the aftermath of the delivery of the judgment in the LMSL Rights plea barred him from accepting any office in the Government.