The Supreme Court has directed that a fundamental rights petition filed by a group, including Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya, be taken up for hearing. The petition alleges that former Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon and several other officers violated the rights of women from the National People’s Power during a peaceful protest in Polduwa in 2023.
The case was presented before a bench comprising Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Achala Wengappuli, and Priyantha Fernando.
The respondents named in the petition include Deshabandu Tennakoon, along with the Officers-in-Charge (OICs) of Welikada, Thalangama, and Mirihana police stations, as well as the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for Nugegoda.
The petition outlines that on December 4, 2023, while the budget debate on the Ministry of Women’s Affairs was ongoing, a group had peacefully gathered at the Polduwa intersection to protest issues affecting women. It claims that police officers unlawfully disrupted this gathering, violating the protesters’ fundamental rights.
The petitioners are seeking a declaration from the court affirming that their fundamental rights were violated and requesting appropriate compensation.