SC calls for SA report on MR

The Supreme Court today directed the Attorney General to submit a the Security Assessment (SA) report issued by the State Intelligence Service on former President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

The SC issued this direction when the fundamental rights petition -- urging the removal of the perks and privileges enjoyed by Mr. Rajapaksa as former president now that he is a candidate at the general election -- was taken up for hearing.

Petitioner Senaka Perera, who is a national list nominee of the Nawa Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) in his petition sought an order to remove all the police security given to former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and suspend all the privileges including houses, offices and vehicles given to him by the State in the wake of his candidature at the general election.

The three-judge-bench comprising Chief Justice K. Sripavan and Justices Priyasath Dep and Anil Goonaratne further directed the petitioner to make a request from the Election Commissioner for appropriate security, if he needs security for any threat.

The petition was re-fixed for support on August 14.

Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appearing for the AG informed Court that security personnel assigned to the former president was based on the Assessment of Security Threat by the State Intelligent Service. The SC said it wished to peruse the relevant documents and as such submit the assessment to Court.

The petitioner cited Elections Commissioner, former president Mahinda Rajapaksa, the Minister of Public Order & Christian Religious Affairs, Defence Minister, the IGP, Defence Ministry Secretary and the Attorney General as respondents.

The petitioner said undue preference and privileges will lead to election malpractices and that if any candidate was treated unequally or given any special treatment, it would affect the entire election result and the right to universal franchise of the people and it won’t be a free and fair election.

He said Mahinda Rajapaksa was given excessive security and privileges well beyond the other former presidents and that some of the privileges and security has been divulged in parliament -- 105 police personnel, 14 army officers and many other personnel and other infra structure facilities and a lucrative state-funded pension.

Attorney Lakshan Dias appeared for the petitioner while former Attorney General Palitha Fernando appeared for the former president. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)