Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne yesterday informed Parliament that scores of petitions had been filed before the Supreme Court, challenging the Bill titled “Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution”.

The Speaker said he had received copies of 65 petitions filed under Article 121(1) of the Constitution between August 21 and September 1, in addition to nine petitions referred to in his earlier announcements of August 19, 20 and 21.

Accordingly, the petitions received during the period comprised seven on August 21, four on August 24, eight on August 25, five on August 28, 31 on August 31 and 10 on September 1.

Dr. Wickramaratne also informed the House that he had received copies of 15 petitions filed before the Supreme Court under Article 121(1) concerning the “Anti-Corruption (Amendment)” Bill.

He also announced that seven additional petitions had been filed in the Supreme Court against the “Judicature (Amendment)” Bill, bringing the number of petitions received in respect of that Bill to eight, including the petition referred to in his announcement of August 19.

Under Article 121(1), a person may challenge the constitutionality of a Bill before the Supreme Court within the constitutionally prescribed period after the Bill is placed on the Order Paper of Parliament.

Senior DIG and one-time police spokesman Ajith Rohana will retire on 11 September after serving the Police Department for 38 years. A farewell police guard of honour was held yesterday (08) at the Welegedara Stadium in Kurunegala.

Ajith Rohana is the youngest officer ever appointed as a Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG). He holds a Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.) degree and is an Attorney-at-Law. Born in Kosgama, Avissawella, He is an alumnus of Ananda College, Colombo.

He obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the Open University of Sri Lanka and was admitted as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court. In 2020, he was awarded an honorary doctorate in recognition of his dedicated public service.

He also served as a Board Member of the National Child Protection Authority, and Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Southern, North Western, and Eastern Provinces.

By S.K. Samaranayake

Three individuals from Kuragandeniya who allegedly forcibly entered Menikhinna Government Hospital at night recently and threatened the hospital staff on duty were produced before Theldeniya Magistrate Kamal Sanjaya Jayatillaka on Monday (7).

he Magistrate sternly warned the suspects and ordered their release on personal bail of Rs. 500,000 each.The suspects, S. Sumanasena (28), Chandika Kumarasinghe (28) and N. Chandimal (30), are all residents of Kuragandeniya.

Attorney-at-law Sarath Premakumara, appearing for the suspects, informed the court that they would not exert any influence on the hospital staff in the future.

The suspects were produced before the court by Menikhinna Police Station Chief Inspector M. Ekanayake following a complaint lodged with the Menikhinna Police by the medical officer conducting channelled consultations at the hospital.

The Magistrate ordered the suspects to appear before the court again on January 20.