Stay order not in line with Constitution: Ranil

15 May 2015 07:00 am Views - 19378

According to Article 132 and Sub-Article 2 of the Constitution, the interim order given by the Supreme Court staying the arrest of former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa is not effective, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe said today.

He told journalists that under these Articles it was not correct for a Supreme Court bench comprising a maximum of three judges to exercise ordinary jurisdiction and that a two-judge bench could only exercise jurisdiction when taking up an urgent appeal for inquiry.

The Prime Minister said he would seek the opinion of the Attorney General on this matter.

He said the interim order would not prevent investigations and further questioning of the former defense secretary but only stay his arrest.

When asked by the journalist, the Prime Minister said he had not received any notice from the Supreme Court that he was respondent cited in the petition filed by Mr. Rajapaksa. However, he said obtained a copy of notice sent to the Cabinet.(Yohan Perera)