Ketagoda’s Private Member Bill challenged in SC

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda   

Executive Director of the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL) Rohana Hettiarachchi yesterday filed a Special Determination petition in Supreme Court challenging the private member’s bills presented by SLPP MP Jayantha Ketagoda.

  Petition is against  re-convening of dissolved Local Government Authorities without holding elections.  

Parliamentarian Jayantha Ketagoda had brought a Private Member Bill titled “A Bill to amend the Municipal Councils Ordinance (Chapter 252)” and it was published as a supplement to the Gazettes of 26th June 2023.   

The petitioner stated that the proposed bill is purported to postpone the election of the Municipal Councils without a specific date being mentioned. He further states that the purported amendment is inconsistent with the provisions of the Constitution, which is the fundamental law of the country.  The Petitioner stated that the proposed Bill creates a bad precedent as the same creates a risk of abusing the legal framework to prevent holding timely elections, including national elections and the same can lead to the people losing faith in the entire democratic system in the country.