Supreme Court grants leave to proceed versus GR, MR & BR
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court today (Friday) sent a powerful message that it is prepared to directly intervene in the country’s dire economic crisis and hold those responsible to account. A five-judge bench of its most senior justices granted leave to proceed against Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, Former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa and 36 other very senior government officials.
The bench comprised Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Murdhu Fernando, Vijith Malalgoda and L.T.B. Dehideniya. The three civil society petitioners are Dr. Mahim Mendis, Dr. Athulasiri Samarakoon and Dr. Nevis Morais. Their Fundamental Rights petitions are seeking an immediate inquiry into officials whom they have accused of adopting reckless economic decisions without proper assessment and being directly responsible for the bankruptcy of the country and the dire hardships of the people.
The petitions are to taken up again on 9th January 2023.
Other former and present officials named as respondents include the entire former Cabinet of Ministers, current Foreign Minister Ali Sabry who was formerly Finance Minister, Former Central Bank Governors Prof. W.D. Lakshman and Ajith Nivard Cabraal, as well as Former Finance Secretary S.R. Attygalle, Former Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundara, and Members of the Monetary Board of the Central Bank at the time.