By AJA Abeynayake

The main opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has filed a fundamental rights petition in the Supreme Court seeking annulment of the Cabinet decision to ban the use and import of chemical fertilizers.

The petitioners say the decision to ban the use and import of chemical fertilizers taken by the cabinet of ministers on April 27, this year violates their fundamental rights.

SJB General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Chairman of the Samagi Govi Jana Peramuna Hemakumara Nanayakkara and Secretary P. Harrison filed the petition.

Minister of Agriculture Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Secretary to the Ministry Udith K. Wijesinghe, National Fertilizer Secretariat, Department of Agriculture, and Attorney General have been named as respondents.

The petitioners state that the President has taken steps to ban the import and use of chemical fertilizers in Sri Lanka as per a resolution approved by the Cabinet on April 27.

The petitioners state that the government has claimed that this step was taken with the intention of uplifting the use of organic fertilizer in the country.

However, due to the decision to ban the import of chemical fertilizers, the petitioners have pointed out that the agricultural sector is currently facing a severe crisis and the production costs of farmers and cultivators have gone up and the yield has come down.

Accordingly, they point out that farmers have been severely prejudiced by this decision.

The petitioners have stated that they are not opposed to the decision to promote the use of organic fertilizers but it should be done in a proper manner.

Accordingly, the petitioners request the Supreme Court to issue an order nullifying the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers on April 27 prohibiting the use and import of organic fertilizer, violating their fundamental rights.

The petitioners further request that an interim order be issued to prevent the implementation of the resolution passed by the Cabinet on April 27 until the final verdict is pronounced after hearing the petition.