Colombo
Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has dismissed a petition seeking to disqualify President Ranil Wickremesinghe from running in the upcoming presidential election. The petition argued that Wickremesinghe should be disqualified due to his failure to appoint an Acting Inspector General of Police and to fill vacant judge positions in the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal.
The court not only rejected the case but also ordered the petitioner to pay Rs. 50,000 in court fees. Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, representing the Attorney General, claimed the petition was misleading and based on false information, violating Article 92 of the Constitution. The court agreed and dismissed the petition.
Sri Lanka’s presidential election on September 21 will see 39 candidates competing, with President Wickremesinghe, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa, and Marxist leader Anura Dissanayake as the main contenders.
The election is the first since Sri Lanka’s severe economic crisis, which led to shortages of essentials like food, fuel, and medicine, and widespread protests. Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who fled the country in July 2022, was succeeded by Wickremesinghe, who has worked to stabilize the economy. Despite Rajapaksa’s party accusing Wickremesinghe of dividing their ranks, the incumbent President has sought their support for his re-election bid. Namal Rajapaksa, the eldest son of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, has also joined the presidential race.
With 17.1 million voters eligible, including 1.2 million new voters, the election is highly anticipated.
