Two petitioners have sought a declaration from Sri Lanka's Supreme Court that their fundamental rights were violated when an earlier petition challenging the 22nd Amendment Bill was not heard in open court.
A fundamental rights petition has been filed before the Supreme Court by Dulara Gunathilake, Convenor of the Union of National Organisations, and Shantha Jayathilake, a retired Sri Lanka Air Force officer, alleging that their constitutional rights were breached through procedural omission.
According to the petitioners, Gunathilake had previously submitted a petition to the Supreme Court challenging the 22nd Amendment Bill, which was presented to Parliament by the government. The petitioners contend that this earlier petition was not called for examination in open court, constituting a violation of their fundamental rights.
In their current petition, the two individuals have requested the Supreme Court to formally determine that their fundamental rights were violated as a result of the Court's alleged failure to hear the original challenge. Additionally, they have sought an interim order that would prevent the Court's determination on the 22nd Amendment Bill from being communicated to the Speaker of Parliament until the present petition receives a full hearing and final judgment.