News
Judges’ bid to thwart APIT: Final ruling in three months
Court declines to extend interim order
By Shamindra Ferdinando
The Court of Appeal, on 25 July, said that the final judgment on an unprecedented case of three associations of judicial officers moving Court against the imposition of Advanced Personal Income Tax (APIT) in terms of Inland Revenue Act No 24 of 2017 as amended by Act No 45 of 2022, should be delivered within three months.
Having said so, the Court declined to further extend its interim order that prevented the Justice Ministry from deducting the APIT from the monthly salaries of the High Court Judges, District Judges, Additional District Judges, Magistrates, Additional Magistrates and Presidents of the Labour Tribunal. The Court issued notices on the respondents in three petitions filed by the High Court Judges’ Association, the Judicial Service Association and Presidents of Labour Tribunals.
The bench comprised President of the Court of Appeal N. Bandula Karunaratna, Sobitha Rajakaruna, Menaka Wijesundara, D. N. Samarakoon and Neil Iddawala. The Court dealt with, what was called, an instant application filed in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution by three petitioners.
The petitions were fixed for argument on 22 and 26 September.
The respondents were A.S.M. Jayasingha, Chief Accountant, Justice Ministry, Wasantha Perera, Secretary, Justice Ministry, D. R. S. Hapuarachchi, Commissioner General of Inland Revenue, and the Attorney General. The respondents were represented by Nirmalan Wigneswaran, DSG, with M. Jayasinghe, DSG, and Shiloma David, SC.
Dr. Romesh de Silva, PC, with Sugath Caldera and Niran Anketell, appeared for two petitioners whereas Shammil J. Perera, PC, with Primal Ratwatte, Chamath Fernando and Duthika Perera, represented the other.
The petitioners stated that they sought intervention of Court in the absence of any other alternative to uphold and preserve the rights of judicial officers and safeguard the Doctrine of Separation of Powers, the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. Having told the Court that if the said judicial officers were subjected to APIT, an individual would be taxed annually to the tune of Rs 1,500,000, the petitioners declared the move was contrary to the United Nations Basic Principles on the independence of the judiciary.
They sought to recover the deducted taxes and suspend the deductions until the final determination of the case.
However, the Counsel for the respondents petitioners misrepresented material facts to the effect that judges had been subjected to APIT. The Court has been informed that there had been no change in the process and those who moved Court in this regard were subjected to APIT even before the enactment of the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Act No 45 of 2022. The SC has been told how the said Act applied to judges and the circumstances of both vehicle and housing allowances, too, subjected to taxation in terms of the Inland Revenue Act, as well as direction and guidelines issued by the Commissioner General of Inland Revenue.
The Counsel for the respondents also stated that the petitioners failed to bring to the attention of the Court of Appeal that the SC, in considering the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill, specifically considered whether the salary of judges is taxable and would impact the independence of the judiciary.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
