The six-member ministerial committee appointed to study the final report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCoI) that probed the Easter Sunday attacks has sought an extension of 14 days to submit its findings considering the sensitivities and complexities in the issue.
“Earlier, the committee was scheduled to submit its report on March 15. However, we want to study the PCoI recommendations in depth due to the sensitivities and complexities before arriving at a final conclusion. That is why we decided to seek a two-week extension,” Co-Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Energy Udaya Gammanpila told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
The Minister who is also a member of the Committee said that it had already met on five occasions and had discussed the recommendations of the PCoI.
He said the main focus of the Committee is to evaluate the practicability of the implementation of the recommendations by the PCoI and the Parliament Sectorial Oversight Committee on National Security.
Minister Gammanpila said at present all 87 volumes of the PCoI report have been handed over to the Attorney General. Therefore, it is entirely up to the AG to decide on the legal action and there will be no political interference.
The Minister said the police through its investigations have identified 291 suspects and the AG will take steps to file charges against them.
Thereafter, it is up to the court to decide whether they are found guilty or not and what kind of punishment should be imposed on them if they are convicted.
Chief Government Whip and Minister of Highways Johnston Fernando who is also a Committee member said it is not the mandate entrusted upon the Committee to punish the Easter Sunday culprits or provide instructions to the Attorney General.
He said the mandate of the Committee is to study the final report of the PCoI and provide guidelines to the relevant ministries to formulate fresh laws and amend some of the existing laws.
The PCoI presented its final report to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on February 1.
The Commission had recorded evidence from 457 people over 214 days.
Among them were former President Maithripala Sirisena, former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, Defence Ministry Secretaries, top-level security and intelligence service personnel, as well as those affected by the deadly attacks.
Later, the President appointed a six-member ministerial Committee to study in depth the facts and recommendations on the course of action contained in the final report of the PCoI and the report of the Sectorial Oversight Committee on National Security which has been submitted to Parliament.
The six-member Committee headed by Minister Chamal Rajapaksa consists of Ministers Johnston Fernando, Udaya Gammanpila, Ramesh Pathirana, Prasanna Ranatunga and Rohitha Abeygunawardana.