The Supreme Court has ordered to take up the appeal seeking the void of an interim order issued by the Court of Appeal, suspending the former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet of Ministers from functioning, on February 06.

The appeal filed by the former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and the members of the former Cabinet Ministers were taken up before the three-judge bench consisting of Chief Justice Nalin Perera, Justice Priyantha Jayawardena and Justice T.B. Dehideniya today (16).

The 122 MPs from the United National Party (UNP), Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, who had signed the Writ of Quo Warranto petition against Mahinda Rajapaksa holding office as Prime Minister, have been named as the respondents in the appeal.

The attorney, representing the respondents of the appeal, informed the Supreme Court today that more time is needed to obtain legal advice on withdrawing the petition filed by his clients.

Accordingly, the attorneys representing Mahinda Rajapaksa and the former Cabinet Ministers told the court that they are willing to consider the withdrawal of the appeal filed by their clients if the respondents are to withdraw the petition filed before the Court of Appeal.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court ordered to take up the hearing of the petitions again on February 06.