The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) issued summons on Uva Province Chief Minister Chamara Sampath Dassanayake to appear before the Commission on February 1 to inquire into the incident of forcing a principal to kneel.
This is the first time that the HRCSL issued summons on a Chief Minister to appear before the Commission.
The Commission started inquiring into the incident on two complaints made by Director General of Centre for Human Rights and Research Keerthi Tennakoon and Ceylon Teachers' Union President Joseph Stalin. Earlier the Commission summoned the Uva Provincial educational authorities and the principal and recorded statements in relation to the incident.
The Commission questioned them over the incident where Badulla Tamil Girls' School Principal R. Bhavani was allegedly made to kneel down before the Uva Chief Minister and later threatening her and obtaining a statement.
The complainants state the Chief Minister and the officials violated the victim’s right of language and expression under the Article 12 (1) and Article 10 of the Constitution.