Nagananda Kodituwakku files FR petition before the SC
The General Secretary of the Vinivida Peramuna Nagananda Kodituwakku today (14) filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking a declaration that the UNP leader Ranil Wickremasinghe and Rev. Athuraliye Ratana Thera are disqualified and not entitled to be elected as a Member of Parliament of the UNP and Ape Jana Bala Paksaya respectively.
The petitioner has named the Election Commission, former Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya, Election Commission Chairman Nimal G. Punchihewa, UNP former General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Ape Jana Bala Paksaya General Secretary Rev. Wedinigama Wimalatissa and several others as respondents.
Kodituwakku states the supreme law of the land, the Constitution, clearly specified that National List nominations shall be presented to the Election Commission within one week from the Notice received by the Party Secretaries from the Election Commission.
The Petitioner states that the General Secretary of UNP and General Secretary of Ape Jana Bala Paksaya had failed to comply with the Notices served on them by the former Election Commission Chairman within the mandatory period specified by the Article 99A of the Constitution to tender the names to the fill the two National List MP slots allocated for their respective political parties by the Election Commission.
The Petitioner states that he is entitled to a declaration that his right to equality and equal treatment before the law under Article 12(1) has been violated by the Election Commission who had elected Ranil Wickremasinghe and Ven. Athuraliye Ratana Thera without jurisdiction.
