BASL seeks fuller bench to hear petition filed against govt. over Easter attacks

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The Fundamental Rights petition filed against government officials including the former Defence Secretary Hemasiri Fernando and IGP Pujith Jayasundara, for failing to act on the forewarnings to prevent the Easter attacks, will be taken up for consideration on June 6th.

The petition filed by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) was taken up before the Supreme Court judge bench consisting of Justices Prasanna Jayewardene, L.T.B. Dehideniya and Preethi Padman Surasena today (04).

The attorney representing the BASL requested the court to hear the petition before a fuller bench.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court judge bench ordered that the petition would be taken up for consideration on June 6th.

The petitioners stated that the state intelligence service had forewarned the government of possible terrorist attacks.

As the government officials including the former Defence Secretary and the IGP have violated the fundamental rights of the public by failing to act on the forewarnings, the BASL has sought legal action against them.

The BASL also named His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith as a respondent of the petition. An attorney-at-law appeared before the court on behalf of the Cardinal.

The Supreme Court also ordered to take up several other petitions filed in this regard on June 6th.