The Supreme Court has concluded its consideration of petitions challenging the Anti-Corruption (Amendment) Bill presented to Parliament by the Government and announced that its confidential determination on the constitutionality of the Bill will be communicated to the Speaker of Parliament and the President.
Fifteen petitions challenging the Bill were considered over two days by a three-member Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Shiran Gooneratne, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Sampath Wijeratne, said Ada Derana reporter.
Following the conclusion of oral submissions today, the Supreme Court directed the relevant parties to submit any written submissions by 12:00 p.m. on Monday.
The bench subsequently announced that the Court’s confidential determination regarding the constitutionality of the proposed legislation would be forwarded to the Speaker of Parliament in due course.
The 15 petitions were filed by several parties, including former Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, the Media Law Forum, and Transparency International Sri Lanka.
The petitioners alleged that the proposed amendments would curtail judicial power and infringe upon fundamental rights.
Accordingly, the petitioners requested the Supreme Court to determine that the Bill requires approval at a referendum.
