Dissolution of parliament: Seven-member bench appointed

The Chief Justice nominated a fuller Bench comprising seven judges of the Supreme Court to hear on 4th, 5th and 6th December, the 10 fundamental rights petitions filed against the declaration of dissolution of Parliament by the President.

The Bench Comprises Chief Justice Nalin Perera, Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira J. de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, Prasanna S. Jayawardena, Vijith K. Malalgoda and Murdu Fernando.

Of the 10 fundamental rights petitions filed against the declaration of dissolution of Parliament by the President, three sought to intervene to counter the main petitions.

After hearing the petitions, the Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Nalin Perera, Justices Priyantha Jayawardane and Prasanna S. Jayawardena on 13th November granted leave to proceed and also issued Interim Orders effective till December 7 staying the operation of the proclamation of dissolving the Parliament by the President and the holding of the election.

The petitions are seeking a declaration that proclamation of dissolving Parliament infringes the fundamental rights and asking the Court for a declaration that the decisions and/or directions in the proclamation is null and void and of no effect in law.

The petitions were filed by Kabir Hashim and Akila Viraj Kariyawasam of the UNP, Lal Wijenayake of the United Left Front, CPA, Member of the Election Commission Prof. Ratnajeevan H. Hoole, Attorney-at-Law G.C.T. Perera, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, All Ceylon Makkal Congress, Mano Ganesan MP.

K. Kanag Iswaran PC, Thilak Marapana PC, Dr. Jayampathi Wickremaratne PC, M.A. Sumanthiran PC, Viran Corea, Ikram Mohamed PC, J.C. Weliamuna PC, Ronald Perera PC, Hisbullah Hijaz and Suren Fernando appeared for the petitioners.

Gamini Marapane PC with Nalin Marapane, Sanjeeva Jayawardane PC and Ali Sabry PC appeared for the intervening petitioners who oppose the main petitions.