SC suspends Cabinet decision allowing former President Sirisena to continue using official residence

The Supreme Court today issued an interim order suspending the Cabinet decision taken in October 2019 to allow former President Maithripala Sirisena continued use of his residence located on Mahagamasekara Mawatha, Colombo. 

The interim order is effective till the court has concluded hearing the petitions and will come into force four weeks from today.

 The order was given by a three-judge bench comprising SC Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Yasantha Kodagoda and Mahinda Samayawardena after considering a Fundamental Rights petition filed by Executive Director of the Center for Policy Alternatives Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu. 

The petitioner had pointed out that Mr Sirisena had been President when the Cabinet headed by him had approved a proposal on October 15, 2019 to allow him to keep using his residence at Mahagamasekara Mawatha, Colombo 07 even after retirement. 

The petitioner had argued that the former president had misused his authority through this action. Moreover, he had also spent Rs 180 million to repair the residence during this period. 

This Cabinet decision which had been taken without any transparency has violated the petitioner's fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution, the petitioner claims. 

By Manopriya Gunasekara