Fifteen petitions against 19th constitutional amendment

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 24 September 2002, 17:52 GMT]
Fifteen petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the 19th constitutional amendment, which restricts the presidential powers to dissolve parliament after its one-year existence. Nine petitions were filed in the Supreme Court Tuesday alone against the constitutional amendment, court sources said.

The Secretary for the Centre for Policy Alternatives, two People’s, Alliance parliamentarians Messrs Janaka Bandara Tennekon and Velayutham Puthirasigamony,the Chief Minister of Sabragamuwa Provincial Council, Mr. Mohan Salia Ellawella, the Secretary of the Sinhala Jathika Sangamaya, Dr.Piyasena Dissanayake, the Secretary of the Public Services Trade Union Mr.W.H.Piyadasa and three other lawyers filed petitions Tuesday against the 19th constitutional amendment

The petitioners have requested the SC to determine that the said constitutional amendment directly affects the sovereignty and the franchise of the people and to order the authorities to hold a referendum in this regard in addition to the passage with a two third majority in parliament.

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