• Tiran says security will be provided to them based on findings
• Kanchana alleges PUCSL Chairman working with ‘terrorist groups’
• Janaka claims commission members did U-turn due to political influence

The Police has initiated investigations into threats received by the two commission members of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) last Friday (20), namely PUCSL Deputy Chairman Udeni Wickramasinghe and commission member Mohan Samaranayake.

When contacted by The Daily Morning yesterday (22), Public Security Minister Tiran Alles said that the PUCSL members had lodged a complaint with the Police with regard to the threats they had received at the PUCSL premises last Friday.

“Everyone saw that certain individuals had arrived and threatened them (the two members) when they had walked in for a meeting. They (the Commission members) have given their statements to the Police and the police have begun an inquiry into this and we will take necessary action.”

When The Daily Morning queried if the commission members will be provided with security, as Minister of Power and Energy Kanchana Wijesekera informed the media recently that he would make a request to the Public Security Minister in this regard, Alles stated: “No, firstly we will have to conclude the investigation and decide whether security is required.”

When The Daily Morning contacted Police Spokesman, Attorney and Senior Superintendent of Police Nihal Thalduwa to inquire into the status of the said inquiry, Thalduwa noted that he was unaware of the said complaint.

Speaking to the media last Saturday (21), Wijesekera stressed that in the wake of the commission members receiving threats, the Government would stand by them. 

“I make an appeal to the Public Security Minister to provide the necessary security for the members of the commission. We saw some trade unionists representing terrorist groups, and certain other individuals [threatening the commission members]. If telephone conversations are investigated, we should be able to find the connection between the PUCSL Chairman (Janaka Ratnayake) and these groups.”

Wijesekera, whilst expressing hope of receiving a written directive from the PUCSL to effect an increase in electricity tariffs, as approved by the Cabinet of Ministers this month, with three members of the commission having written to PUCSL Chairman Janaka Ratnayake in favour of the said Cabinet decision, also noted that the recent statements issued by the PUCSL have been independent statements sans the consent of the three other commission members, against which legal action should be taken.

Wijesekera stated that decisions by independent commissions such as the PUCSL should be taken in consultation of all its members, not just one, and noted that he would make a written request to President Ranil Wickremesinghe to take legal action against the PUCSL Chairman.

“At the meeting of the National Council, we found out that the recent statements issued by the PUCSL have been individual statements. This was also proven during the recent (20) press conference by PUCSL. A lone individual cannot hold the entire country against the wall. There are four members in the commission, including the Chairman. The decisions made by an independent commission should be taken in consultation of all its members; there may be those who are for the decision or against it; but the decisions taken by an independent commission should be taken considering a majority. The PUCSL Chairman himself showed that three members of the commission have issued a written statement stating that the decision taken by the Cabinet Members should be effected immediately. So we are hopeful that we will receive this in writing on Monday (today). If we receive it in writing, we will act accordingly.”

“Acting on a single opinion is a serious mistake; therefore, we propose that Parliament and the Constitutional Council, which are responsible for the independent commissions, should take action against the relevant individual in this regard. I will make a written request about this to the President, as the independent commissions are under his purview, and make a request to act upon this on legal grounds.”

Convening a media briefing last Friday (20), Ratnayake noted that the unanimous decision taken by the four commission members on 12 January to oppose the decision made by the Cabinet of Ministers to effect an interim tariff revision with retrospective effect from 1 January had been reversed by last Thursday (19) following a National Council meeting attended by the three commission members of PUCSL – namely, PUCSL Deputy Chairman Udeni Wickramasinghe, and Members Chathurika Wijesinghe and Mohan Samaranayake – claiming that there may have been some influence on the decision of the three commission members at the meeting.

With the majority of the commission members for an interim tariff revision as approved by the Cabinet of Ministers, Ratnayake noted: “I seek refuge in the law, and I believe that I would receive the support of the law.”

Ratnayake further reiterated that an interim increase in electricity tariffs was against the PUCSL and Electricity Acts.