Three more petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the clauses of the bill presented in Parliament by the government to revoke the privileges of former Presidents, on the grounds that it is contrary to the Constitution.
The petitions were submitted by Sabaragamuwa University lecturer Mahinda Pathirana, former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s media spokesman, Attorney-at-Law Raveendra Manoj Gamage, and former Navy Chief of Staff Mohan Wijewickrama.
The Attorney General has been named as the respondent.
The petitioners argue that Clauses 1 to 4 of the proposed bill violate the doctrine of separation of powers, which is guaranteed by the Constitution of Sri Lanka. They also claim that several provisions of the bill undermine the sovereignty of the people and the independence guaranteed under the Constitution.
They further state that, taken as a whole, the bill infringes upon fundamental constitutional principles, and violates Articles 1, 3, 4, and 12(1) of the Constitution, including the fundamental rights of individuals.
Accordingly, the petitioners request that the Supreme Court issue an order stating that the relevant clauses of the bill cannot be passed in Parliament unless it is approved by a two-thirds majority in Parliament and subsequently endorsed by the people through a referendum.
Earlier, Renuka Perera, the Administrative Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), and two other individuals also filed a petition challenging the same bill.
