Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday informed Parliament that the Supreme Court had determined that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill was inconsistent with the Constitution.
Announcing the Supreme Court decision, the Speaker said: “I wish to announce the determination of the Supreme Court on the Bill titled Judicature (Amendment) in respect of which petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court in terms of Article 121(1) of the Constitution.
Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) Chairman Prof. G.L. Peiris, JO parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardena, Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and Prof. Channa Jayasumana, on behalf of university academics, moved the SC against the controversial Bill.
“The Supreme Court has determined that Section 12A (10) of the Bill is inconsistent with the Article 154P (3) (a) of the Constitution and an amendment is required to be made to the Constitution to give effect to the Section 12A (1) of the Bill. This requires the Bill to be passed by a two-third majority. However, if the jurisdiction is conferred on the High Court Provinces under Article 154(P) (3) (C)