A Fundamental Rights (FR) petition was filed in the Supreme Court yesterday, challenging the decision of the Constitutional Council (CC) to reject President Ranil Wickremesinghe's nomination of Court of Appeal (CA) President Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne to be appointed as a Supreme Court Judge.
The petition was filed by Attorney-at-Law B.P.S.M. Pathirathna, naming the members of the CC, including the Speaker and the Opposition Leader of Parliament, as well as the Attorney General, as respondents.
- The petition indicates that the Chief Justice recommended the name of the CA President to fill the vacancy in the Supreme Court, and the President and the Prime Minister made the nomination to the CC accordingly.
Requesting the Supreme Court to declare the CC's move as completely unlawful, the petitioner also seeks an order preventing President Wickremesinghe from recommending another CA Justice to fill the vacancy.
