News
Blanket dismissal by Supreme Court of over 50 petitions challenging rejection of nomination papers
The Supreme Court yesterday dismissed over 50 petitions challenging the rejection of nomination papers for the upcoming 2025 Local Government Elections.
A total of 53 writ applications and six Fundamental Rights petitions, filed by political parties and independent groups, were dismissed.
This ruling follows a recent decision by the Court of Appeal, which had ordered the acceptance of 37 nominations that were initially rejected. In a significant move, the Supreme Court yesterday instructed the relevant returning officers to accept the previously rejected nominations, aligning with the Court of Appeal’s verdict.
The petitions had been filed by recognised political parties and independent groups who challenged the rejection of their nominations. The reasons for the rejection included issues such as failure to submit certified copies of birth certificates, failure to submit an official oath, and submitting only photocopies of birth certificates, instead of the required certified versions.
By A.J.A. Abeynayake
