Ranil says SC decision came as no surprise, laughs at SJB

PM: Supreme Court decision victory for democracy

By Saman Indrajith-June 3, 2020, 9:48 pm

Former Prime Minister and UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe yesterday said that he knew the Supreme Court would dismiss fundamental rights violation petitions challenging the date of the election and that was the reason why the UNP had not resorted to legal action.

Wickremesinghe said that both the TNA and the JVP had been aware of the situation and, therefore, refrained from taking the matter to the Supreme Court.

Addressing a group of former Ministers and MPs who called on the UNP leader at his Kollupitiya residence, the former Prime Minister said the decision by the five-judge bench confirmed the UNP’s position on the matter.

Commenting on the latest political situation following the Supreme Court decision dismissing seven fundamental rights petitions, the UNP leader said that there was no legal basis in the submissions by the petitioners challenging the election date.

PM: Supreme Court decision victory for democracy

By Norman Palihawadane-June 3, 2020, 9:52 pm

The Supreme Court decision dismissing alll fundamental rights petitions that sought to block the general election was a victory for democracy, Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa said yesterday.

Asked to comment on the Supreme Court decision, the Prime Minister said that the decision meant that justice had been done and democracy was thriving under the new government despite the clamour by the opposition to postpone elections.

"We never postponed elections because we believe in the people’s franchise. The opposition fearing a sure defeat, wants to postpone the general election. They thought that they could delay it by resorting to legal action, but in vain. now they have to face an election.

The PM said that the incumbent opposition while in power had kept postponing elections. "They are suffering from polls phobia. They are afraid of going before the people because they know what they did when they were in power and people would surely reject them," PM Rajapaksa said.