Three petitions filed against FR case seeking presidential poll delay

Three groups have filed petitions to intervene in a Fundamental Rights (FR) case by businessman C.D. Lenawa, who wants to delay the presidential election announcement until the Supreme Court clarifies the election date.

The intervening petitions were filed by the National People’s Power (NPP), Wasantha Mudalige of the Inter-University Students’ Federation (IUSF), and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB).

NPP MP Vijitha Herath, one of the petitioners, has requested the court to dismiss Lenawa’s petition.

The intervening petitioners argue that the Constitution’s 19th Amendment reduced the President’s term from six years to five years, meaning the current President’s term ends this year, necessitating an election.

They also accuse Lenawa of misleading the court with false information and failing to justify his request to postpone the election.

They have asked the Supreme Court to let them present their arguments and to dismiss Lenawa’s petition.

A five-judge Supreme Court bench, led by the Chief Justice, will hear Lenawa’s petition on Monday (July 8).

Lenawa’s petition seeks an interim order to prevent the presidential election announcement until the Supreme Court clarifies the poll date.