The Supreme Court has today (02) concluded the consideration of petitions filed in relation to the 22nd Amendment Bill to the Constitution, which was recently presented to the Parliament by the government.

Following the conclusion of the deliberations related to the petitions, the Supreme Court stated that its confidential determination on the constitutionality of the Bill will be conveyed to the Speaker of Parliament.

A five-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, issued the order after considering the petitions filed challenging the Bill, the submissions made by the lawyers appearing for the petitioners, those supporting the Bill, and the Attorney General.

The bench also directed the parties to take steps to file written submissions pertaining to the petitions before 3.00 p.m. tomorrow (3).

The Supreme Court had commenced hearing the petitions yesterday (01), with proceedings continuing today before the five-member bench.

A total of 67 petitions have been filed challenging the constitutionality of the proposed 22nd Amendment. The petitions were filed after the Government presented the Constitution Amendment Bill to Parliament on August 18.

Following the publication of the Bill in the Gazette, the public was given an opportunity to challenge the proposed legislation before the Supreme Court.

The 67 Special Determination petitions make the proposed 22nd Amendment one of the most extensively challenged constitutional amendments in Sri Lanka’s recent history.