SC rejects petition filed by Methsiri de Silva

Colombo (News 1st): The Supreme Court rejected the petition filed by former Mayor of Galle Methsiri de Silva seeking an order to prevent the presidential election from being held. The petition which was filed yesterday (October 3) was called before the three-member judge panel, consisting of Vijth Malalgoda, G.Pathman Surasena, and Gamini Abeysekara. The attorney representing the petitioners requested the court to grant permission to withdraw the petition as they do not hope to continue with it. The panel rejected the petition and warned not to ridicule the judiciary. Speaking to the media General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party Dayasiri Jayasekara noted that the case was filed yesterday by their Galle Organizer Methsiri De Silva. He noted that the case was filed without the party's and the President's knowledge. Jayasekara noted that they requested Methsiri De Silva to withdraw the petition immediately because this court case could have been a huge issue to the presidential election.  He added that later Methsiri De Silva withdrew the petition as the request made by the president.