Bar Association seeks urgent Supreme Court intervention on economic crisis
Two fundamental rights applications were filed in the Supreme Court on Friday by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on the present economic crisis, acting in the public interest.
The applications were filed by the BASL President Saliya Pieris PC; Deputy President Anura Meddegoda PC; Secretary Rajeev Amarasuriya; Treasurer Rajindh Perera; and Assistant Secretary Pasindu Silva.
The Petitioners say their fundamental rights under Articles 11, 12(1), 13(4),14(1)(g),14(1)(h) and 14A of the Constitution are being violated or are in imminent danger of infringement by the actions and/or inaction of the state including the Respondents - Attorney General, the Cabinet of Ministers, the Governor of the Central Bank, the Secretary to the Treasury, Secretaries to several ministries, the Ceylon Electricity Board, the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and the State Pharmaceutical Corporation.
The Petitioners are seeking orders from the Supreme Court directing the Cabinet of Ministers, and/ or any of her respondents to immediately consult with all the relevant stakeholders and independent experts to formulate and implement policies to provide uninterrupted access to and to provide concessions in relation to the prices of essential goods and services to the people including LP gas, fuel, electricity, milk powder, medicines and food.
“The country is at present witnessing long queues for the purchase of essential supplies, mass protests and public unrest due to acute shortages and the sharp increase in the cost of goods and services including food, fuel and travel costs. Sri Lanka is currently facing an unprecedented economic and financial crisis resulting in acute shortages of fuel, electricity, gas, food, milk powder and medicines,” the petitions said adding that the petitioners also complain that they are compelled to come to court due to the severe shortages in essential goods and services.
The Petitioners state that in view of the growing unrest and public protests witnessed across the island, they “fear that there is a substantial, real and grave threat of a breakdown in the law-and-order situation of the country and a substantial threat to the Rule of Law, which should be addressed through timely and proportionate measures within the legal framework of the country”.
The petitioners have also sought directions from court to formulate mid-term and long-term policies to ensure that the people have uninterrupted access to essentials such as inter alia, food, medicine, fuel, gas and electricity and to formulate medium and long-term policies to provide concessions in relation to the prices of such essential goods and services.
The Petitioners state that in view of the growing unrest and public protests witnessed across the island, they “fear that there is a substantial, real and grave threat of a breakdown in the law-and-order situation of the country and a substantial threat to the Rule of Law, which should be addressed through timely and proportionate measures within the legal framework of the country”.