The Supreme Court postponed until tomorrow the further consideration of the fundamental rights petitions filed challenging the date of the General Election.

Further consideration of the petitions will resume at 10.00 a.m. tomorrow (19), Ada Derana reporter said.

Seven fundamental rights petitions filed challenging the gazette issued declaring June 20 as the date of the General Election 2020 and the gazette notification issued by the President dissolving the Parliament, were taken up for considering by the Supreme Court this morning (18). 

They were taken up before a judge-bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sirira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena and Vijith Malalgoda.

The consideration of the petitions commenced after the noting down of representations by the attorneys representing each petitioner. 

Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunaratne, the Center for Policy Alternatives (CPA), and journalist Victor Ivan and the ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya’ filed Fundamental Rights petitions challenging the election date declared by the Elections Commission.

Several parties including Ven. Muruththettuwe Ananda Thero filed intermediary petitions seeking the court’s permission to intervene in the FR petitions. 

The Attorney General, on behalf of the President, Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya, and Members of the Commission N. J. Abeysekara and Ratnajeevan Hoole have been named as respondents of the petition.