By The Pulseline News Desk
Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera is scheduled to be produced before court wearing his Buddhist robes on Friday (23), following amendments to prison regulations governing the appearance of Buddhist monks before the judiciary, Minister of Buddhasasana Hiniduma Sunil Senevi has said.
The minister has said the authorities were seeking guidance from the relevant Buddhist religious leadership to establish the appropriate procedure for presenting the controversial monk before court in his robes.
According to Senevi, the Commissioner-General of Buddhist Affairs has written to the Mahanayake Thera of the Nikaya to which Gnanasara Thera belongs, requesting instructions on how the procedure should be carried out.
The Commissioner-General has also sought the necessary guidance to communicate the relevant arrangements to the Commissioner-General of Prisons, the minister has said.
The move follows amendments to prison regulations concerning the presentation of Buddhist monks before court, with the authorities now working to clarify the procedure to be followed in Gnanasara Thera’s case.
Gnanasara Thera’s scheduled court appearance on October 23 is expected to take place under the revised regulatory framework, although the final arrangements are being coordinated with the relevant religious authorities and prison officials.
The minister’s statement comes amid public attention surrounding the treatment of Buddhist monks in custody and the procedures governing their appearance before the courts.
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