Sri Lanka SC overturns sacking of Parliament
Orders a halt to preparations for snap elections on January 5
In a major setback to Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena, the Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned his controversial decision to dissolve Parliament and ordered a halt to preparations for snap elections on January 5.
A three-member bench, including country’s chief justice Nalin Perera, delivered its ruling after two days of deliberations on as many as 13 petitions against and five for Sirisena's November 9 decision to dissolve Parliament, nearly two years before its term was to end.
Sirisena dissolved Parliament after it became clear that he lacked support from lawmakers to install former strongman Mahinda Rajapaksa as the new prime minister, following his October 26 sacking of Ranil Wickremesinghe as premier.
All petitions filed against Sirisena's decision will be heard on December 4, 5 and 6, the apex court ruled, according to the opposition party officials attending the hearing held under tight security.
Major political parties and an election commission member Ratnajeevan Hoole on Monday dragged Sirisena to the Supreme Court, challenging his move of dissolving Parliament.
Sirisena dissolved Parliament and ordered snap election on January 5, plunging the country into an unprecedented political and constitutional crises.
Rajapaksa needed the support of minimum 113 parliamentarians in the 225-member House to prove his majority.
Wickremesinghe has maintained his sacking by Sirisena was unconstitutional and illegal and he was still the prime minister.
Sirisena on Sunday stoutly defended his move to dissolve Parliament, saying it was taken to prevent clashes among rival lawmakers.
He said there were reports that politicians would clash during the floor test, which was due on November 14.