7-judge bench appointed to consider FR petitions against IGP & Hemasiri Fernando
Posted on July 8th, 2019
Courtesy Adaderana
A fuller Bench comprising seven judges of the Supreme Court has been appointed to hear the petitions filed against Inspector General of Police (IGP) Pujith Jayasundara and former Defense Secretary claiming that they had violated fundamental rights by failing to prevent the Easter Sunday attacks.
The Judge Bench headed by Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya will comprise of Justices Sisira de Abrew, Buwaneka Aluvihare, Priyantha Jayawardena, Prasanna Jayawardena, L.T.B. Dehideniya and Murdu Fernando.
The relevant fundamental rights petitions are set to be considered before the Bench on 12th July.
The petitions were filed by seven parties including the Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL), a businessman engaged in the tourism sector named Janak Sri Vidanage and Saman Nandana Sirimanne, a father who had lost his son and daughter in the attack on April 21st.
The petitioners accuse that the IGP and the former Defense Secretary of infringing the fundamental rights of the people by failing to prevent the attacks on churches and hotels even when intelligence information had forewarned.
July 10th, 2019 at 3:02 pm
Landmark FR case before Supreme Court :Teacher petitions right to wear Abaya, Hijab
DailNews.lk
Wednesday, July 10, 2019 – 01:10
Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The Supreme Court yesterday allowed a Fundamental Rights petition by a female school teacher seeking an Interim Order staying the school authorities and State from preventing her from reporting to work at school wearing an Abaya and Hijab.
The Supreme Court three-judge bench comprising Justices Sisira De Abrew, Murdu Fernando and S. Thurairaja fixed the case for support on September 4.
The petitioner, Mohamed Ibrahim Fathima Zahrin, 44, a teacher in a school in Kandy, filed this petition challenging the operation of the provisions of the Public Administration Circular No. 13/2019 dated 29th May 2019, which denies the right to wear an Abaya.
Meanwhile, Additional Solicitor General Indika Demuni De Silva appearing for the Attorney General informed court that after the filing of the case, a new public administration circular dated 26.06.2019 has been published, making it clear that there is no prohibition on wearing the Abaya and Hijab.
In view of this development, the Court re-fixed the matter for support on September 4 with the agreement of counsel, to enable the petitioner to see whether steps are taken to comply with the position that there now should not be any obstruction to the wearing of the Abaya and Hijab.
Senior Counsel Viran Corea with counsel Thilini Vidanagamage instructed by Latheef Ashar appeared for the petitioner.