February 06, Colombo (LNW): The Supreme Court has set a date for the hearing of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Fundamental Rights (FR) petition, challenging the government’s decision to cut back on his security detail. The case will be heard on March 19.
Rajapaksa filed the petition in response to the government’s move to reduce his security, claiming that the action was taken without a thorough and comprehensive security assessment.
The petition names Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, the Cabinet of Ministers, and several others as respondents, seeking judicial intervention to reinstate his previous security arrangements.
In his petition, Rajapaksa asserts that he continues to face significant threats to his safety, particularly due to his pivotal role in bringing an end to the decades-long civil conflict with the Tamil Tigers (LTTE).
He argues that, despite no longer holding office, the nature of these ongoing risks warrants a heightened security presence around him.
This petition comes in the wake of a controversial decision last December, when the security detail for former presidents was scaled down to a total of 60 personnel following a review conducted by the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).
As part of this change, 116 police officers who had previously been assigned to Rajapaksa’s personal security were reassigned to other duties, a move that raised concerns about his safety among some political and public circles.
