Dela Bandara misleads Mahanayake Theras; appointed on acting capacity

Saturday, 27 June 2015

Pradeepa Nilanga Dela Bandara’s term of office as Diyawadana Nilame of Dalada Maligawa in Kandy will be completed at the end of this month. Accordingly, a qualified person will be appointed to the position on an acting capacity until such time an election is held to appoint a new Diyawadana Nilame. That will be done by the Buddhist affairs commissioner on recommendation by the Mahanayake Theras of the Malwatte and Asgiriya Chapters.

According to reports reaching Lanka News Web, Dela Bandara is planning unethically and illegally to continue as the Diyawadana Nilame on an acting capacity once his tenure ends. He has asked the two Mahanayake Theras to recommend him to the acting position, misled them and got their signatures to the letters of recommendation. Dela Bandara well knows the advantages of the office of Diyawadana Nilame. He is hoping to contest at the upcoming election too. Therefore, he is not ready to give up the position even for a couple of weeks. That is why he is trying to mislead the Mahanayake Theras in an attempt to seal his position.

He stands accused over the accounts of Dalada Maligawa and over the misuse of his position for his personal businesses, which are being investigated by the FCID.  According to reports, no audit has taken place on the financial records of Dalada Maligawa. Dela Bandara says there is no need to conduct an audit, which he claims is not compulsory. He has cunningly obtained signatures of the Mahanayake Theras for the financial documents prepared under his advice, and got them implicated, in order to save himself if any problem arises. That is why Mahanayake Theras are doing his bidding. He is now saying everywhere that if he has go to prison, Mahanayake Theras too, will be in trouble.