The Supreme Court today (02) ordered to once again issue notice on the new chairman and the members of the Election Commission to appear before the court.

This order was issued by a five-member Supreme Court bench, when the petitions seeking an order declaring that the fundamental human rights of the people have been violated by the failure to hold the 2023 LG election on March 09, 2023, as previously scheduled, and to issue an order to the election body to hold the relevant election on time, were taken up for consideration today (02).

The petitions were filed by the National People’s Power (NPP), Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB), the Centre for Policy Alternatives and the People’s Action for Free and Fair Elections (PAFFREL), naming the Chairman and the members of the election commission as respondents.

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, Vijith Malalgoda, Murdu Fernando and Gamini Amarasekara had comprised the five-member judge bench which issued this order.

There, President’s Counsel Nigel Hatch, who appeared on behalf of the NPP, requested the court for an early date for hearing of the petition since the fundamental human rights of the people are violated by the postponement of the election.

At the time, the Chief Justice mentioned that although the hearing of the relevant petitions was scheduled to be held today, a situation had arisen where it is not possible to carry out the hearing due to the fact that the petitioners had not properly issued notice to the respondents.

The Chief Justice further emphasized that not only the petitions related to the local government polls but also the facts related to each and every petition presented to the court will be considered in depth.

Accordingly, the judge bench ordered the petitioning party to issue notices to the new members of the Election Commission and former member of the commission P.S.M. Charles, who were added to the list of respondents of the petitions, within a period of one week.

Later, the relevant petitions were ordered to be recalled for hearing on November 21, 22, 29, 30 and December 01, 2023.