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I will not resign, says Sri Lankan minister facing no-confidence vote
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka /Elections & Politics

I will not resign, says Sri Lankan minister facing no-confidence vote

From Lankadeepa · () Sinhala

Translated from Sinhala, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • Sri Lankan Justice Minister Harsha Nanayakkara denies neglecting duties during a recent incident, stating he was not asleep and has taken necessary actions.
  • He rejects calls for his resignation, asserting that those demanding it are facing legal issues themselves and that the public supports him.
  • Nanayakkara addresses delays in forensic reports, announcing recruitment to speed up the process and reduce prison congestion, alongside plans for house arrests instead of detention for some individuals.

Sri Lankan Justice Minister Harsha Nanayakkara has refuted allegations of neglecting his duties during a recent incident, asserting that he was awake and had taken appropriate measures. Speaking in Parliament during a debate on a no-confidence motion against him, Nanayakkara declared, "Those telling me to resign today are people who have been granted bail. People who are supposed to go to jail. The public does not tell our ministers to resign. Therefore, I will not resign from my ministerial post."

Nanayakkara dismissed the opposition's arguments as "venom" and "disappointment," stating that some had "vomited" their words. He acknowledged issues with delays in forensic reports, which hinder individuals from obtaining bail. To address this, he announced the recruitment of nearly sixty individuals to the Forensic Department, with direct guidance from the President. The ministry aims to expedite the issuance of 7,500 forensic reports to alleviate the backlog.

Those telling me to resign today are people who have been granted bail. People who are supposed to go to jail. The public does not tell our ministers to resign. Therefore, I will not resign from my ministerial post.

— Harsha NanayakkaraResponding to calls for his resignation during a parliamentary debate.

Beyond speeding up reports, Nanayakkara outlined broader strategies to reduce prison congestion. He noted that building more prisons alone is insufficient. The ministry has received a presidential pardon report that can help reduce the inmate population. Furthermore, a new program will be introduced to place individuals under house arrest instead of detaining them, as not everyone needs to be imprisoned. He assured that investigations into the incident are ongoing, and legal action will be taken against anyone who has acted unlawfully. The Criminal Investigations Department is conducting its own inquiries, and cases will be filed against detainees implicated in the brutal murder of officials.

The opposition today spoke not words, but venom. Hatred. Disappointment. Some here did not speak, they vomited.

— Harsha NanayakkaraDescribing the opposition's arguments during the no-confidence debate.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Lankadeepa in Sinhala. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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