Dissolution of Parliament Hearing of FR petitions postponed to June 1

• Saliya Peiris PC to make counter submissions

By Yoshitha Perera   

President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris, representing the Election Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya and its member Nalin J. Abeysekara, yesterday informed the Supreme Court that he would make counter submissions on Monday as to why the Commission needed to take a longer period to conduct the general election based on the health guidelines issued by the health authorities on May 28.   

During his previous submissions, Mr. Peiris PC had said that no sooner the health authorities gave the ‘green light’ that the country was safe to hold an election, the Commission could fix a date for the election within nine to 11 weeks.   

However, during the submissions made by the respondents, they argued that the Commission was making excuses to deliberately postpone the election and that it was supporting the petitioners. 

 
The seven fundamental rights petitions were taken up for hearing for the ninth consecutive day by a Supreme Court Bench of five judges comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya as Chairman and Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardene and Vijith Malalgoda.   

The SC yesterday concluded the hearing of the fifteen intervenient petitioners filed in support of either the seven petitioners or the respondents.   

The submissions made by Counsel Chrishmal Waranasuriya on behalf of two intervenient petitioners appears contrary to the intervenient petitions filed in Court.   

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya questioned him as to whom he was representing and the exact status of his submission. However, the counsel was unable to explain his stance to the Court.   

Thereafter the Supreme Court Bench stopped Counsel Waranasuriya from making further submissions with regard to the two intervenient petitions he submitted to court. 

The SC yesterday concluded the hearing of the fifteen intervenient  petitioners filed in support of either the seven petitioners or the  respondents