A former Municipal Councilor and a lawyer has filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking an interim injunction against holding a general election amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The petition filed by the former councilor of the Colombo Municipal Council Attorney Charitha Gunaratne says holding a general election while the country is engulfed in the coronavirus pandemic is a violation of the fundamental rights of the COVID-19 patients and the general public.
Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya and its members President’s Counsel NJ Abeysekara, Professor Ratnajeevan Hoole, Secretary to the President Dr. PB Jayasundara, Director General of Health Services Dr. Anil Jasinghe and the Attorney General have been named as respondents.
The petitioner requests the Supreme Court to declare that the gazette notification issued by the Election Commission announcing the general election on June 20 is unconstitutional and invalidate the gazette notification.
The petitioner in his petition filed by Attorney at Law ML Shahabdeen states that the Election Commission has issued the special gazette notification of 2072/3 announcing the general election on 20 June 2020.
The Petitioner states that according to the prevailing situation in the country, more than 600 coronavirus patients have been found and seven have died. Coronavirus patients have been found in all districts of the country. In addition a significant number of people are under quarantine, he points out.
The petitioner states that the Elections Commission’s decision to postpone the general election scheduled for April 25 until June 20 is contrary to the constitution and seeks an interim injunction against holding elections on 20 June.
Courtesy: Colombo Page
