Petition Against National Government Dismissed

The Supreme Court today dismissed a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Rear Admiral Sarath Weerasekara and Professor Wimaladharma Abeywickrama against the national government.

The petition was dismissed by a bench comprising of Chief Justice K Sripavan, Justice Sisira de Abrew and Justice Upali Abeyratne.

The petition argued that according to the constitution, a national government should be formed by the largest party or independent group in Parliament and other parties. However, the national government was formed by only the UNP and the SLFP and others parties are not represented. Therefore it is not a national government, the petitioners argued.

However, it was revealed that the argument has been made during the debate on the national government in Parliament, and that the Speaker had made a ruling.

Meanwhile, it was also observed that the constitution does not say that all parties should be part of the national government.

The Supreme Court said that it cannot intervene in a case where the Speaker has already made a determination and dismissed the case.