Court dismisses FR petition against November 14 General Election

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

A Fundamental Rights petition filed by a civil society  activist challenging the Election Commission’s decision to hold the  Parliamentary Election on November 14 was dismissed yesterday by the  Supreme Court.  

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, comprising  Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Shiran Gooneratne, and Priyantha  Fernando, decided to dismiss the petition in limine (at the outset),  taking into consideration the facts presented by both the petitioner and  respondent parties.  

Additional Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, appearing for  the Attorney General, submitted to the court that the date of the  election has been correctly set by the President in accordance with the  Parliamentary Elections Act. He further stated that all necessary  measures related to the election have already been completed.  

H.M. Priyantha Herath, the convenor of the ‘Api Sri Lanka’  organisation, filed the petition, alleging that the Election Commission  failed to call for nominations and set a date for the General Election  in accordance with the provisions of the Parliamentary Elections Act. The petitioner had cited the Attorney General, the  Secretary to the President, the Chairman of the Election Commission and  its members as the respondents.  

The petitioner stated that as per section 10 of the  Parliamentary Elections Act, the period for accepting of nominations to  be declared from October 4 to October 11.