Postal employees take government to court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 16 February 1999, 19:20 GMT]
Two fundamental rights violation petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court against the Postal Corporation Bill gazetted by the Sri Lankan government, state-run radio (SLBC) reported today.

Three postal employees and the Civil Rights Defence Front in their petitions have stated that their fundamental rights are violated by certain clauses in the Bill.

Petitioners have asked the Supreme Court to announce that the said Bill is contrary to the constitution.

Before the implementation of the Bill an order should be made to get 2/3 approval of the Parliament or else hold a referendum, petitioners state, according to the SLBC's news bulletin.

The Postal Department is now under the direct control of the central government. Postal employees allege that the government is trying to privatise this department by converting it into a corporation, trade union sources state.