News
Three 5-year terms instead of two 10-years for Diyawadana Nilame
The term of office of the Diyawadana Nilame (DN) will be restricted to three terms of five years each, under the amendments to the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance which Parliament is set to approve on Tuesday. At present, the DN can hold two successive 10-year terms, if elected, and re-contest after a break.
However, the present DN, Pradeep Nilanga Dela, who was re-elected for his second term in September 2015, will be allowed to hold office for a 10-year term, under special provisions made in the Bill for this purpose.
The Buddhist Temporalities (Amendment) Bill will also empower the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs to remove the DN under specified circumstances such as failing to “exercise, discharge or perform his powers, duties and functions in accordance with the provisions of this Ordinance or, acting in a manner bringing disrepute to the Buddha Sasana or Dalada Maligawa.”
The new provisions in the Ordinance also prevents a DN from holding office of a Basnayake Nilame (BN) while holding office as a DN, as well as prevents a BN of one devale from holding office of a BN of another devale.
The Buddhist Temporalities (Amendment) Bill was challenged in the Supreme Court and the Court proposed several amendments to it. The Court said that, based on the undertaking of the Senior State Counsel who appeared at the hearing, once certain clauses are amended and some deleted, the Bill could be approved by the House with a simple majority.