SC grants leave to proceed with FR petitions challenging emergency law

April 7, 2022 at 5:43 PM

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka today granted leave to proceed with four Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions that were filed challenging the Gazette Extraordinary declaring a Public Emergency on 01 April 2022.

Three of the four FR petitions were filed by journalists Roel Raymond and Rasika Jayakody, and Moratuwa Municipal Councillor Lihini Fernando.

The petitions had been filed citing Secretary to the President Gamini Senerath, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence Kamal Gunaratne, Secretary to the Ministry of Public Security Jagath Alwis, IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, the Attorney General, and the TRC as respondents, against the State of Emergency that was declared on April 1, curfew imposed on April 2, and restriction on social media (also on April 2). 

President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran, Dr. Gehan Gunatilleke, Moahan Balendra, and Suren Fernando represented the petitioners when the case was taken up today.

The Supreme Court today granted leave to proceed on all the points raised in the petitions, while the case will be taken up once again on July 15. (NewsWire)