21/4 probe in jeopardy – U.R. de Silva

By Faadhila Thassim

The Minister of Justice portfolio being vacant can cause a chaotic situation especially in the backdrop where investigations into the Easter Sunday attacks are ongoing, U.R.de Silva, PC said.

He added that investigations in general should be observed or monitored by the Minister of Justice who has to in turn make certain decisions and issue instructions.

De Silva observed that although currently the President is legally empowered to overlook the Ministries to which Ministers have not been assigned, this is temporary and the need to appoint Ministers to crucial vacant Portfolios remains.

The former Minister of Justice President’s Counsel Ali Sabry is now the Minister of Finance which is a crucial position given the economic crisis, if a decision is made to re-assign the Justice Ministry also to him, the issue as to whether Sabry could manage two major Ministries will also arise, he noted.