The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka concluded the hearing of the nine petitions filed against the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution yesterday (23) and informed the Speaker of Parliament that the Supreme Court determination would be delivered to him.
Last morning, the Supreme Court began hearing the claimants for the second day in a row before a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare and Arjuna Obeysekera.
Nine citizens, including “Vinivinda Peramuna” Secretary Attorney-at-Law Nagananda Kodituwakku, Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara, attorney-at-law Nuwan Ballantudawa, Tissa Bandara Ratnayake, H.D.J. Kulatunga, and B.P. Dahanayake, have filed petitions. The petitions name the Attorney General as the respondent.
The petitions claim that the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution violates fundamental human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. As a result, the aspirants have also asked the Supreme Court to rule that the relevant bill’s clauses must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in Parliament and a referendum.
