Supreme Court rejects full bench request as hearing on 22nd Amendment petitions begins

The Supreme Court has rejected a request made by petitioning parties to consider the petitions filed regarding the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill before a full bench.

A five-judge bench commenced proceedings this morning to consider 67 petitions challenging the government's 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill, alongside five petitions filed against the Judicature Amendment Bill.

Court proceedings were adjourned for 15 minutes earlier in the day before the bench announced its decision to refuse the request to refer the matter to a full bench.

Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena is presiding over the five-judge bench, which also comprises Justice Achala Wengappuli, Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere, Justice Sampath Abeykoon, and Justice Gihan Kulatunga.

The hearing initially began in Courtroom 502 but was relocated to Courtroom 501 after the bench considered a request regarding insufficient space made by lawyers, including President's Counsel M. A. Sumanthiran.

A wide range of petitioners—including political parties, individuals, civil society organisations, trade unions, and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka—filed the 67 petitions, 41 of which were submitted online, requesting an order requiring the bill to be passed by a referendum.

The Supreme Court issued notices to the Attorney General yesterday to present submissions regarding the petitions.

The draft bill was originally presented to Parliament on the 18th by Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara, with the two-week window to challenge the legislation before the Supreme Court expiring yesterday.