Petition filed against 2024 General Election date

A petition has been filed with the Supreme Court challenging the decision to hold the General Election on November 14, seeking an order declaring that the decision violates the Constitution.

The relevant petition has been filed by the civil society activist and convenor of the “Api Sri Lanka” national organization” H.M Priyantha Herath.

The Attorney General, the Secretary to the President, the Chairman of the Election Commission and its members have been named as respondents in the petition.

The petitioner has claimed that as per Section 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, the period for accepting nominations was declared from October 4 to October 11.

The petition further points out that according to the Parliamentary Elections Act, the date for polling should be scheduled not less than five weeks and not more than seven weeks from the date of closing of nominations.

Accordingly, the petition has stated that once the nomination period concluded on October 11, the five-week period would conclude on November 15, and the seven-week period would be completed on November 29.

However, the petitioner has emphasized that holding the General Election on November 14 is not included in the legal period and that therefore holding parliamentary polls on that day is unlawful.

The petition has also indicated that attempts were made to notify the Chairman of the Election Commission related to this offense, but no action was taken.

The petitioner has requested the Supreme Court to issue an order stating that the people’s sovereignty and the Constitution are violated by this decision.

Furthermore, the petitioner has requested the Supreme Court to issue appropriate orders to rectify this relevant decision.