More Petitions Against Revoking Ex Presidents’ Privileges

COLOMBO (News 1st); Three additional petitions have been submitted to the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of provisions in the bill presented to Parliament by the government, which seeks to revoke the entitlements of former Presidents. 

The petitioners argue that certain clauses in the proposed legislation are inconsistent with the Constitution.

Three petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the constitutionality of the bill presented by the government to Parliament, which seeks to revoke the entitlements of former Presidents.

The petitions were submitted by:

Prof. Mahinda Pathirana, Senior Lecturer at the Sabaragamuwa University

Attorney Manoj Gamage, Media Spokesperson for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Rear Admiral (Retd.) Mohan Wijewickrama, former Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy

The Attorney General has been named as the respondent in all three petitions.

The petitioners argue that clauses 01 to 04 of the proposed bill violate the principle of separation of powers guaranteed by the Constitution. 

They further claim that one or more provisions in the bill infringe upon the sovereignty of the people and the independence enshrined in the Constitution.

In addition to these petitions, Renuka Perera, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, along with two other citizens, have also filed three separate petitions challenging the bill.