Further consideration of FR petitions against election date postponed

By Yoshitha Perera

Further consideration of seven Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions filed challenging the General Election date and the dissolution of Parliament was postponed until 10 am today.

   The petitions are being considered before the five Judge bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya including Justice Buwaneka Aluvihare, Justice Sisire de Abrew, Justice Priyantha Jayawardene and Justice Vijith Malagoda.   

The Supreme Court had commenced the further consideration of the FR petitions filed challenging the date set by the Elections Commission to hold the General Election 2020, for the consecutive seventh day.   

Seven parties including Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunaratne, the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), and journalist Victor Ivan and the ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya’ had filed fundamental rights petitions challenging the gazette issued declaring the general election date as June 20 and the gazette notification issued by the President dissolving the Parliament.   

Representing the respondents, Attorney General Dappula Livera and Director General of Health Services (DGHS) Anil Jasinghe, Additional Solicitor General Indika Demuni de Silva has concluded her submission yesterday.   
Another fifteen parties had also filed intervenient petitions for the support of the main petitions and the respondents and the Five Judge bench had commenced submission of those petitions.