January 24, Colombo (LNW): His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed a petition challenging the Anti-Terrorism Bill introduced by the government to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA). In the petition submitted to the Supreme Court, Cardinal Ranjith requests an order declaring that several provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Bill are inconsistent with the Constitution.
The respondent named in the petition is the Attorney General, and it alleges that the proposed legislation, if enacted in its current form, would confer unlimited powers to the Tri-Forces, Police, and Coast Guard, allowing unwarranted arrests without reasonable suspicion. The Cardinal argues that this would violate fundamental rights, including the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Constitution.
To address these concerns, Cardinal Ranjith seeks a Supreme Court order mandating a parliamentary vote with a two-thirds majority and a referendum to pass the Anti-Terrorism Bill, which was tabled in parliament on January 10.
This legal challenge comes in the wake of growing opposition to the bill, with last week seeing a petition by Wasantha Samarasinghe, the president of the Inter-Company Employees’ Union, also seeking a Supreme Court order declaring certain provisions unconstitutional.
The Anti-Terrorism Bill, approved by the Cabinet of Ministers on September 05, 2023, underwent revisions based on suggestions and opinions from various parties before being presented in parliament. Despite these revisions, the bill has sparked controversy both domestically and internationally. Human rights organizations, including the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR), have urged the government to align the proposed legislation fully with Sri Lanka’s international human rights obligations.
