A petition has been file moving the Supreme Court to invalidate the Gazette notification declaring the Presidential Election 2019.
The petition filed by the former Mayor of Galle Methsiri de Silva has named Chairman of the Elections Commission Mahinda Deshapriya, the members of the commission and the Attorney General as its respondents.
Petitioners point out that the incumbent President Maithripala Sirisena was elected as President on January 8, 2015, for a term of six years.
Despite this, the Election Commission has issued a gazette notification calling for a presidential election as soon as five years have elapsed since the commencement of President’s term and nominations for the elections have been called on the 7th of October.
Therefore, the petitioner requested a Supreme Court ruling that declares the decision of the Elections Commission unconstitutional and the relevant gazette notification invalid.
The petitioner has also requested the court to issue an interim injunction preventing the submission of nominations for the election on the 07th October.
