Attorneys representing both petitioners and the respondents in the Fundamental Rights petition filed by a group of students—seeking an interim injunction to prevent the implementation of a decision not to admit local students to study for a medical degree at the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU)—informed the Supreme Court today (07) that the case could be settled amicably.
The petition was heard today before a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising Chief Justice Murdu Fernando, and Justices Mahinda Samayawardhena and Menaka Wijesundera.
Attorney-at-law Hafil Faris, appearing on behalf of the petitioners, told the bench that there is potential for the case to be settled amicably.
He stated that the respondents had issued a statement allowing local students to be admitted to the university’s medical faculty once again.
Accordingly, he requested court to grant a date to present written instructions obtained from his clients regarding the matter and to provide relevant submissions.
Deputy Solicitor General Nirmalan Wigneswaran, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, also agreed to the request.
Therefore, the bench ordered the case to be called again on July 24 to allow the petitioners time to present written instructions concerning the settlement.
The petition was filed by five students, including Fathima Abdul Faleel and Dulanka de Silva, and names several parties, including the Board of Governors of the General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, as respondents.
The petitioners stated that they had hoped to pursue a medical degree at the university for the 2025/26 academic year.
They also noted that according to a Cabinet decision taken in 2024, local students would be allowed to pay and pursue medical degrees at the university, and they had therefore hoped to be admitted accordingly.
However, the petitioners noted that Deputy Minister of Defence Major General Aruna Jayasekara (Retd), had stated in Parliament that a decision had been taken to admit only foreign students and officer cadets for the medical degree program, excluding local civilian students.
They further claimed that the university’s official website had later announced that local students would not be admitted to the medical degree program.
The petitioners allege that this decision constitutes a severe injustice to them and a violation of their fundamental human rights. They have requested the Supreme Court to deliver a ruling accordingly.
