Supreme Court hearing of petitions filed on dissolution of Parliament concludes

The Supreme Court hearing of petitions filed against the dissolution of Parliament has concluded. The judgment is to be delivered at a future date. 

Accordingly, it was announced that the stay order will be in effect until the final verdict is issued.

At the commencement of today's proceedings, Counsel Chrishmal Warnasuriya while forwarding his submission had argued that the Prime Minister does not have to command the majority of the Parliament since Sri Lanka does not practice a Westminster system of government. 

He further argued that the people must be given a chance to exercise their franchise while adding that the petitioners have failed to prove a violation of Article 12 of the constitution.

Meanwhile, President's Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran, while forwarding his submission had argued that all three versions of the constitution must be taken into consideration. He pointed out that the constitution does not state that one version prevails over the other.

Also forwarding submissions on behalf of the petitioners, Counsel Hejaaz Hizbullah appearing for Professor Hoole said the constitution has to be connected in a similar manner to that of connecting dots. 

He argued that clauses of the constitution cannot be singled out and interpreted for one's own benefit as presented by the intervening petitioners during the hearing.