Three petitions challenge bill on retired Presidents’ entitlements

Supreme Court Sri Lanka

The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka

Three more petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka challenging the Bill seeking to repeal the entitlements of retired Presidents.

The petitioners stated that clauses 01 to 04 of the proposed Bill violate the principle of separation of powers guaranteed by the Constitution.

They further claimed that the Bill, as a whole, undermines the basic structure of the Constitution as well as fundamental human rights.

Accordingly, the petitioners requested the Court to issue an order stating that the questionable provisions of the Bill can only be passed with a two-thirds special majority in Parliament and must also be approved through a referendum.

The petitions have been filed by Sabaragamuwa University lecturer Mahinda Pathirana, Attorney-at-Law Manoj Gamage, who served as media spokesperson for former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and former Chief of Staff of the Navy S.M. Wijewickrama.