The Supreme Court today (May 12) concluded the hearing of the petitions challenging Jaffna District MP M.A. Sumanthiran’s Provincial Council Elections (Amendment) Bill presented to the parliament as a private member’s Bill.
Accordingly, the Supreme Court will duly convey its determination to the Speaker of Parliament.
The president of Patriotic National Movement Gunadasa Amarasekara and another party had lodged the petitions, challenging the constitutionality of the proposed Bill.
Appearing on behalf of the petitioners, Attorney-at-Law Kanishka Witharana said pointed out that certain clauses in the Bill affect the people’s right to vote, and thus sought the Supreme Court to issue an order stating that the Bill needs to be passed by a two-thirds majority of the parliament and a referendum.
Concluding the hearing of the petitions, the Supreme Court judge bench said its determination on the matter would be delivered to the Speaker of Parliament.
The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) parliamentarian’s PC Election (Amendment) Bill was published in the government gazette recently.
If the parliament enacts the Bill, the Provincial Council Elections (Amendment) Act No. 17 of 2017 will be repealed.
Further, the provincial council elections can be held under the old voting system if the Bill is adopted.
