The Supreme Court today (April 23) concluded the consideration of petitions challenging the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Bill.

The petitions were taken up before a five-member bench consisting of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, and Supreme Court Judges Buwaneka Aluvihare, Priyantha Jayawardena, Murdu Fernando, and Janak de Silva this morning.

The decision of the judge bench will accordingly be conveyed to the Speaker of Parliament in due course.

Nearly 20 petitions had been submitted against the Draft Bill by many parties including Chairman of United National Party (UNP) Vajira Abeywardena, UNP General Secretary Palitha Range Bandara, former Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) MP Wasantha Samarasinghe, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), General Secretary of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Ranjith Madduma Bandara, and Chairman of the IT Professionals Association G. Kapila Renuka.

Chairman of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Prof. G. L. Peiris, SLPP General Secretary Attorney at Law Sagara Kariyawasam, and the legal association of the SLPP had filed interim petitions to make submissions regarding the petitions.

The petitioners, claiming that certain clauses of the relevant Bill have violated the country’s Constitution, are seeking a court order ruling that the clauses in the Bill must be passed by a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a referendum.