7-judge bench to consider FR petitions against IGP & fmr Defence Secretary

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has decided to appoint a seven-judge bench to consider seven Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions against IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando for failing to act on the forewarning on the Easter Sunday attacks.

The petitions were taken up before Supreme Court three-judge bench including Justices Buwaneka Aluwihare, Sisira de Abrew and L.T.B. Dehideniya today (06).

Justice Buwaneka Aluwihare stated that the Chief Justice has decided that these petitions are of national importance and should be heard before a fuller bench.

The judge bench ordered the attorneys representing the petitioners to submit all the relevant documents with regard to the lawsuit to the respondents during the course of a week starting from today.

The attorneys representing the petitioners and respondents were then ordered to file objections with regarding the lawsuit within the one-week period and contradictions within two weeks.

The Supreme Court subsequently ordered that the petitions would be considered on July 12th.

When the petitions were take up before the Supreme Court recently, Additional Solicitor General Farzana Jameel, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, informed the court that the Attorney General had submitted to the Chief Justice the AG has requested from the Chief Justice through a motion to consider the petition before a fuller bench as the case is of national importance.

Accordingly, the Chief Justice has decided that the petitions would be heard before a seven-judge bench.

The petitions were filed by seven parties including the Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL), a businessman engaged in tourism sector named Janak Sri Vidanage and Saman Nandana Sirimanne, a father who had lost his son and daughter in the attack on April 21st.

The petitioners accuse that the IGP and the former Defense Secretary of infringing the fundamental rights of the people by failing to prevent the attacks on churches and hotels even when intelligence information had forewarned.