General Secretary of Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara has filed a writ application before the Supreme Court, requesting to quash the letter sent by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration to the Returning Officers, asking them not to accept deposits from candidates of the Local Government Elections, the Ada Derana reporter said.

He has named 85 individuals including the Secretary to the Cabinet of Ministers, Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration Neil Bandara Hapuhinna, all members of the Cabinet of Ministers including the Prime Minister, Chairman of the Election Commission Nimal G. Punchihewa and its members, all Returning Officers across the island and the Attorney General as the respondents of the petition.

The petitioner states that the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration has issued a letter directing all the district secretaries across the island, to suspend the acceptance of deposits for the local government election until further notice, in accordance with a decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers on January 10.

The petitioning party, who highlights that issuance of such a letter is completely against the law, also emphasizes that it violates the right of universal suffrage of the people and the basic human rights guaranteed under the Constitution.

Accordingly, the petitioner seeks a writ order to dismiss the relevant letter issued by the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration to suspend the acceptance of deposits for the local government election.

Moreover, he also seeks an order directing all the Returning Officers across the island to refrain from complying with the letter issued by the Secretary of the Ministry of Public Administration.

In addition, the petitioner has further requested the court to issue an interim order preventing the implementation of the relevant letter issued by the Secretary of the Ministry of State Administration until the verdict on the petition is delivered.