Petitioner: Remove police security of ex-president

The Supreme Court yesterday (5) had re-fixed for support on August 10 the rights petition seeking to remove the police security given to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa and suspend all the privileges including houses, offices and vehicles given to him by the State in the wake of the forthcoming general elections.

The Bench comprised of Justices Eva Wanasundera, B.P.Aluvihara and Sisira J.De Abrew.

The matter was subsequently due to be taken up before a Bench wherein Justice Eva Wanasundera was not a member.

Petitioner R.H.Senaka Perera, who was nominated as a national list member of the NSSP, was seeking compensation in the sum of Rs 5,000,000 for the infringement of his fundamental rights.

He cited the Elections Commissioner, Minister of Public Order & Christian Religious Affairs, Defence Minister, IGP, Defence Ministry Secretary and the Attorney General as

The Petitioner maintained that undue preference and privileges given to former president Rajapaksa would lead to election malpractices

Respondents. Lakshan Dias appeared for the Petitioner while Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle appeared for the Attorney General.

The Petitioner maintained that undue preference and privileges given to former president Rajapaksa would lead to election malpractices and that if any candidate was treated unequally or given special treatment, it would affect the entire elections result and the right to universal franchise of the people and it wouldn’t be a free and fair election.

In his petition, he states that former President Rajapaksa was defeated in the Janaury 8 Presidential Election and was now contesting the forthcoming general elections to be held on August 17.