Two days after the introduction of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, which seeks to overthrow President Gotabhaya Rajapakse, the number of petitions challenging it has risen to 12 in the Supreme Court.
The Attorney General has filed six petitions in the Supreme Court on Wednesday, September 23 and six on Thursday, September 24, court correspondents said.
When the proposed 20th Amendment to the Constitution was presented to Parliament by the Minister of Justice, President’s Counsel Mohamed Ali Sabri, on Tuesday, September 22, the opposition representatives strongly objected to it.
Former Governor Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon, Transparency International Sri Lanka, human rights activist Srim Abdul Sanun, Jaffna resident SCC Illangovan, and Marine Lohini Fernando were among those who were present.
On Wednesday, September 23, TNA MP R. Sampanthan, General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balawega, MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Attorney-at-Law Indika Gallage, Anil Kariyawasam, Secretary of the Sri Lanka Transparency Front Nagananda Kodithuwakku, Center for Alternative Policy and its Chief Executive Pakyasothy Saravanamuttu. Had filed petitions before the Supreme Court.
The petitioners had sought a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a referendum to pass certain provisions of the Twentieth Amendment to the Constitution, which the Government has tabled in Parliament, as unconstitutional.