Three Fundamental Rights petitions filed challenging the legality of the Presidential Pardon granted to former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva were today fixed for argument by the Supreme Court.
The lawyers appearing on behalf of Duminda Silva moved the court to rescind the argument and fix another date since their senior counsel was appearing in another Supreme Court case. The Supreme Court fixed the petitions to be taken up for argument on November 17.
On May 31, the Supreme Court issued an Interim Order directing the CID to place Duminda Silva under the custody of the prison with immediate effect. The Court also issued an Interim Order impounding Duminda Silva’s passport. The Court has already granted leave to proceed with these applications in terms of Article 12(1) of the constitution.
Former Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra, her mother Sumana Premachandra and former Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) Ghazali Hussain have filed these petitions seeking a declaration that the presidential pardon of Duminda Silva is invalid in law.
On September 8, 2016, five accused, including former Defence Ministry Monitoring MP Duminda Silva, were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court for committing the murder of four people, including former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra, on or around October 8, 2011.
