Sumanthiran refiles FR against Conduct of Speaker

COLOMBO (News 1st); Parliamentarian and President’s Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran has formally requested that the Fundamental Rights application, which previously challenged the Speaker’s conduct during the passage of the Online Safety Bill and was subsequently dismissed, be reexamined in the presence of a new Supreme Court bench.

On February 29, the Supreme Court dismissed a petition filed by M. A. Sumanthiran without granting permission for a hearing.

The decision followed initial objections raised by the Attorney General.

The Attorney General underscored that the relevant Act, having been duly passed by Parliament, cannot be subject to legal challenge before the court.

Furthermore, he added that, as an act of the legislature, the court lacks the authority to issue orders regarding such matters.

As a result, the cout rejected the petition without further deliberation.

However, Member of Parliament and President’s Counsel, M. A. Sumanthiran, expressed concern reproducing the application believes that the petition was dismissed without due consideration of crucial facts.

In light of this, Sumanthiran appealed for a fresh opportunity, and argued the court to accept the petition and allow it to be reconsidered before a different bench.