Today (22nd), the Samagi Jana Balawegaya asked the Supreme Court to rule that certain clauses of the Anti-Terrorism Bill submitted by the government to the Parliament are unconstitutional and if they are passed, they must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in the Parliament and approved by a referendum. filed a petition before.Sri Lanka Latest News
It was filed by General Secretary of Samagi Jana Balawega Ranjith Madduma Bandara and the Attorney General has been named as the respondent.
The petitioner claims that the provisions contained in the relevant Bill have empowered the Army, Police and Coast Guard to arrest and detain any person without reasonable cause.
The petitioner points out that through this, fundamental rights including personal freedom and freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution are violated.
Therefore, the petitioner requested the Supreme Court to give a ruling that certain articles contained in the relevant bill violate the basic human rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Sri Lanka and that in order to pass those articles, they must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in the Parliament and a referendum.
Challenging this draft bill, petitions have been filed by National People’s Power Member of Parliament Wijitha Herath, Inter-Company Employees Union convener Wasantha Samarasinghe, Socialist Youth Union and others.