CJ to appoint fuller bench to hear petitions against IGP, ex-defence secretary

Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya has decided to appoint a seven-member judge bench to hear the petitions filed against the suspended police chief and the  former Defence Secretary.

During today's hearing, a three-member judge bench announced that seven petitions against IGP Pujith Jayasundara and former defence secretary Hemasiri Fernando concerning the Easter Sunday attacks, will be taken up for consideration on July 12 before a fuller bench.

Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Aubrew and L.T.B. Dehideniya served in the bench during today's hearing.

The judges also called for objections on the case to be submitted within the next two weeks. Counter-objections could be filed a week after the submission of objections conclude, they announced.

Meanwhile, court instructed the petitioners to submit the relevant documents to the defendants within one week.

The seven petitioners claimed that the negligences of the defendants - as top state officials, had resulted in the failure to prevent the Easter Sunday carnage which resulted in the loss of several hundreds of lives.