Good story, now if we were to find out all the permits sold and transferred by past members of parliament, would we be able to get a list ?

JHU monks sell their vehicle permits

The MP monks of the JHU have sold the duty free vehicle permits received by them as parliamentarians in contravention of the permit regulations.

The monks have said that the monies collected by selling the permits were transferred to the party account.

The government offers duty free vehicle permits to parliamentarians and other state officials for official use. However, according to the relevant financial regulations, such permits cannot be sold or transferred to a third person. The law also states that a vehicle purchased under such permit cannot be sold or transferred to a third party.

The JHU monks however, have sold their vehicle permits in contravention of the regulations, it is learned.

JHU and Presidential Advisor, H.M.G.B. Kotakadeniya told The Sunday Leader sister paper Irudina, “Nothing is given free these days.”

JHU Spokesperson and Parliamentarian, Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thero however declined to make any comment on the sale of the permits.

Kotakadeniya said the JHU monks had sold the vehicle permits to provide funds for the party and that they were not sold to drug dealers and businessmen.

Referring to the sale of vehicle permits by the monks, he had also said that the JHU had not done anything against the law and that it was done in good faith.

“The owners of the vehicles are the bhikkus. They have not violated the motor traffic ordinance. They can give their vehicles on a temporary basis to anyone. But the registration is under the real owner. They will get ownership only after five years. The party does not have funds. That is why the permits were sold. Some parliamentarians have even sold their permits to the Tigers. We have not sold them to drug dealers or businessmen. If the law has been violated then we can go to courts. We have not violated the law. The bhikkus don’t need such luxury vehicles. But the bhikkus in parliament need some vehicle. We have given these vehicles only to people on whom we have total confidence that they would not use these vehicles for a wrong purpose,” Kotakadeniya said.