Petition to object to the 2024 General Election date was rejected

The Supreme Court rejected the petition objecting to the decision to hold the general election on November 14.

A three-member bench of judges of the Supreme Court, comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Shiran Gunaratne and Priyantha Fernando, after prolonged consideration of the facts presented, decided to dismiss the relevant petition without taking it up for hearing.

This order was submitted by Additional Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, stating that the election date has been properly fixed by the President in accordance with the Electoral Act and the poll has almost been completed so far.

Civil society activist and national organization “Api Sri Lanka” HM Priyantha Herath filed a petition in the Supreme Court on October 21, challenging the decision to hold the General Elections on November 14, seeking an order declaring the decision in violation. Constitution.

The petition included the Attorney General, the President’s Secretary, the Chairman of the Election Commission and its members as defendants.

The petitioner claimed that under Article 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, the period for accepting nominations was declared from October 4 to October 11.

The petition also stated that, according to the Parliamentary Election Law, the voting date should not be less than five weeks and more than seven weeks from the date on which the candidacies are closed.

Accordingly, the petition stated that after the candidacy period is completed on October 11, the five-week period will be completed on November 15 and the seven-week period will be completed on November 29.

The applicant requested the Supreme Court to issue a decision, stating that national sovereignty and the Constitution were violated with this decision. The Applicant also requested the Supreme Court to issue appropriate orders to rectify this relevant decision.