Petition Filed By Entrepreneur Chamindra Dayan Lenawa To Be Taken Up Before A Bench Of Supreme Court Justices Today

COLOMBO (News 1st): A bench of 5 justices of the Supreme Court is set to consider the petition filed by an entrepreneur seeking an interim order to be issued on the Election Commission, today. 

The petition filed by entrepreneur Chamindra Dayan Lenawa will be taken up before a bench comprising of Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justices Vijith Malalgoda, Murdhu Fernando, Preethi Padman Surasena, and S. Thurairaja.

The petitioner is seeking an interim order from the Supreme Court preventing the election commission from conducting the presidential election until the Supreme Court gives an interpretation of the term of the president. 

The petition points out that the term of the president in Article 30(2) of the constitution has not been properly amended by Article 82(6) of the constitution under the 19th Amendment to the constitution. 

The petitioner seeks an order from the Supreme Court preventing the chairman of the elections commission, members of the election commission as well as the commissioner general of elections from conducting the election until the petition is taken up and decided upon. 

The petition has also sought an order from the court to determine that the President's term is 6 years and for an order directing the election commission to hold the election after this time period lapses.