FR Petitions on Parliamentary Elections Filed

The Supreme Court is scheduled to examine next Monday, May 18^th, at least six Fundamental Rights petitions which challenge the holding of parliamentary elections on June 20 this year. The petitions were filed in court today, May 11^th. The petitioners are contesting the fact that the election is scheduled beyond the three month deadline of the dissolution of parliament, which is the second of June. While the first petition was filed by Attorney-at-Law Charitha Guneratne, the other petitioners are Head of the Centre for Policy Alternatives Dr. Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu,   Journalist Victor Ivan, Leader of the Jathika Hela Urumaya, Patali Champika Ranawaka, the Samagi Jana Balavegaya and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. The petitions will be examined by a Three Judge Bench, comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Supreme Court Justices S Thurairajah and Murdu Fernando. Counterpoint also learns that several intervening petitions supporting the conducting of elections on June 20 have also been filed. At today’s proceedings, the Supreme Court had been informed by Indika Devamuni de Silva, the Additional Solicitor General that the Attorney-General will not be representing the Chairman of the Election Commission and other members of the Commission, who are named as respondents in the petitions.