Gammanpila challenges Provincial Council Act

Parliamentarian Udaya Gammanpila today filed a Fundamental Rights petition in Supreme Court seeking a declaration that the certification by the Speaker endorsing the passage of the “Provincial Council (Amendment)” Bill is in violation of Article 79 of the Constitution and constitutes an infringement of the Fundamental Rights guaranteed to the Petitioner by Articles 10 and 12(1) 12(2) of the Constitution.

He is further seeking an order directing the Election Commission to take steps to conduct elections for the Sabaragamuwa, North Central and Eastern Provincial Councils, which stood dissolved by 01.10.2017.

The Petitioner states the 1st Respondent, Chairman of the Election Commission has publicly indicated in no uncertain way that no Provincial Council elections would be held as mandated by the Constitution and the Law, indicating a clear decision of the Election Commission to interpret the provisions of the said Provincial Councils Elections (Amendment) Act No.17 of 2017, as a mean of indefinitely postponing the said elections.