Former Minister Udaya Gammanpila has filed a petition before the Supreme Court challenging certain provisions of the Protection of the State from Terrorism Bill presented to Parliament by the Government.
In his petition, Gammanpila has requested the Supreme Court to declare that certain provisions of the proposed Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution.
The Attorney General has been named as the respondent in the petition.
The former Minister claims that several provisions of the proposed legislation violate fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
Accordingly, Gammanpila has requested the Supreme Court to rule that the disputed provisions, if they are to be enacted, must be approved by a two-thirds majority in Parliament and endorsed through a referendum.
The former minister further said that a writ petition has also been filed against the court order issued by the Fort Magistrate last Friday (16) preventing Ven. Ulapane Sumangala Thera and 54 others from remaining outside the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo.
The monks had staged a march from Kandy, calling for the release of the General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), Ven. Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thera, and settled down in front of the Presidential Secretariat staging a protest.
An order was issued by Colombo Fort Magistrate Pasan Amarasena prohibiting the monks from staying at the said location and ordering the Police to remove them from the location.
Speaking to reporters, Udaya Gammanpila said the writ petition against the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s order was filed at the Court of Appeal today. (Newswire)
The post Gammanpila challenges anti-terrorism Bill and court order on monks appeared first on Newswire.