Prime Minister: Supreme Court decision victory for democracy

The Supreme Court decision dismissing alll fundamental rights petitions that sought to block the general election was a victory for democracy, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.

Asked to comment on the Supreme Court decision, the Prime Minister said that the decision meant that justice had been done and democracy was thriving under the new government despite the clamour by the opposition to postpone elections.

“We never postponed elections because we believe in the people’s franchise. The opposition fearing a sure defeat, wants to postpone the general election. They thought that they could delay it by resorting to legal action, but in vain. now they have to face an election.

The PM said that the incumbent opposition while in power had kept postponing elections. “They are suffering from polls phobia. They are afraid of going before the people because they know what they did when they were in power and people would surely reject them,” PM Rajapaksa said.

(Source: The Island – By Norman Palihawadane)