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| Wednesday, 31 March 2004 |
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by Wasantha Ramanayake The Supreme Court yesterday re-fixed for support five Fundamental Rights applications challenging the latest guidelines issued by the Election Commissioner on the State broadcast media institutions and the appointment of the Competent Authority. The Bench comprised Justices Dr. (Mrs.) Shirani Bandaranayake, T. B. Weerasuriya and Nihal Jayasinghe. The court decided to re-fix the applications in order to go through the contents of number of new petitions that sought to intervene in the proceedings. Justice Bandaranayake also indicated that she would not wish to hear the matters on personal grounds. The petitioners counsel Jayampathi Wickremaratne PC and Nigel Hatch raised objections to the intervenient petitioners and submitted that they were deliberately delaying the proceedings. The counsel urged the court to hear them since the notices had been adequately issued on the respondents the Election Commissioner and the Attorney General. The UNP General Secretary Senerath Kapukotuwa, Minister G.L. Pieris, UNP Deputy Leader Karu Jayasuriya, Hela Urumaya, The Centre for Monitoring Election Violence were among the intervenient petitioners. Petitioners Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) and the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC) challenged both guidelines and the appointment of the competent authority to regulate the state broadcast media while the Independent Television Network (ITN) challenged the guidelines. Petitioners cited the Election Commissioner and the Attorney General as respondents. They alleged that the Guidelines issued by the Election Commissioner and the appointment of the Competent Authority were in violation of their right to engage in the lawful occupation of choice and the freedom of expression. |
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