A petition is filed in the Supreme court against the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill submitted to the Parliament by MP Member of Parliament Premanath.C. Dolawatta. Retired Army Brigadier K Athula H.D Silva,Shenali D . Waduge and Jehan Hameed has filed this petition.
Parliamentarian Premanath C. Dolawatta and the Attorney General have been named as respondents.
The petitioners claim that the relevant bill submitted by the respondent Premanath C. Dolawatta as a private member’s proposal has tried to interpret homosexual activities as a criminal offense and through that, the same activities are being promoted.
It is stated in the petition that it is against the expectations of the Legislature regarding the Penal Code and thereby seriously violates the provisions of the Constitution.
The petitioners point out that even according to the religious beliefs of Buddhists, Hindus, Christians and Islam, same-sex activities have not been approved, therefore, the provisions contained in the proposed bill are contrary to those religious beliefs.
Also, the petitioners claim that the matters expected in the relevant bill are against the cultural and national identities of this country.
Therefore, the petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to rule that the provisions of the proposed bill violate the basic human rights mentioned in the Constitution, and if it is to be passed, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in the Parliament and a referendum.