Sri Lanka's top court rolls back president's sacking of parliament
- Post 13 November 2018
Sri Lanka’s topmost court has blocked the president’s controversial order to dissolve parliament and stopped conducting a snap poll.
The Supreme court stayed President Maithripala Sirisena’s Gazette notification dissolving Parliament, until 7 December 2018.
Immediately following the decision, the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has convened the parliament on the 14th of November.
Political parties, individuals including an elections commissioner and civil society organisations challenged the president’s decision last week to dissolve parliament and call for a snap vote on January 5.
It was the largest number of legal challenges ever filed against an action by a Sri Lankan head of state.
Cases were fixed for argument on the 5th, 6th and 7th of December.
'First victory'
Sri Lanka was thrown into a political crisis after the president suspended parliament and appointed party strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa as PM on October 26, while sitting Premier Ranil Wickremesinghe refused to step down.
“The people have won their first victory. Let's go forward and re-establish the sovereignty of the people in our beloved country,” tweeted Ranil Wickremesinghe.
Speaking to journalist at the Hultsdorf court premises, Tamil National Alliance parliamentarian M S Sumanthiran welcomed the decision.
"The most important order the Supreme Court has delivered in its entire history" he said.
Jubillant scenes with fireworks could be seen outside the courthouse in Colombo, following the ruling by the triumvirate of Supreme Court judges led by Chief Justice Nalin Perera.☐
© JDS
