The Supreme Court is scheduled to consider today (01) the petitions challenging the constitutionality of the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, which was presented to parliament by the government recently.  

The 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill was presented to Parliament on August 18, following which the public was given an opportunity to file petitions challenging or supporting the Bill.

Accordingly, a total of 67 petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court, both challenging and supporting the proposed amendment. The deadline for filing such petitions ended yesterday (31).

The five-member bench appointed to hear the petitions comprises Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, serving as its head, and Justices Achala Wengappuli, Arjuna Obeyesekere, Sampath Abeykoon and Gihan Kulatunga.

The petitions are scheduled to be taken up before the Supreme Court from 10.00 a.m. today.

Meanwhile, Samagi Jana Balawegaya MP Ajith P. Perera says he is prepared to make submissions at the outset of the hearing calling for all 13 Supreme Court judges to sit to consider the petitions.

He said the petitioners, including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), had requested that all 13 Supreme Court judges hear the petitions challenging the proposed amendment.

Accordingly, MP Ajith P. Perera said all petitioners are prepared to make submissions on the matter when the hearing begins this morning.

Meanwhile, representatives of 40 professional organizations and trade unions across the country yesterday adopted a joint statement in support of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka’s position of unequivocally opposing the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment.