Language Switcher

v2025 (2)

v2025

 President accused of violating the Constitution

Several civil society activists have petitioned the Supreme Court against President Maithripala Sirisena’s decision to take the state owned Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) under the purview of the Ministry of Defence (MOD).

Activists, Ven. Dambara Amila Thero and Chandraguptha Thenuwara have challenged the President’s decision before the Supreme Court by filing a Fundamental Right (FR) petition yesterday (17).

The petitioners have stated that the President is legally entitled to hold only the portfolios of Mahaweli, Environment and Defence under the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

The petitioners have noted that the President has violated the Constitution by taking SLRC under the Ministry of Defence and that such action has also violated the fundamental rights of the petitioners.

They have sought the Supreme Court to declare the taking over of SLRC under the Ministry of Defence as a violation of the country’s Constitution.

President Sirisena last week issued a gazette notification announcing that the SLRC will be taken under the purview of the MOD with immediate effect.

He later stated that the move was aimed at resolving the management issues that were driving the institution in to bankruptcy.

However, media associations condemned the move claiming it was a threat to media freedom and that it would create a bad precedent when a media institution is taken under the Ministry of Defence.

Leave your comments

Post comment as a guest

0
Your comments are subjected to administrator's moderation.
terms and condition.
  • No comments found