Sri Lanka power struggle goes to Supreme Court

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 28 October 2003, 00:01 GMT]
The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court in Sri Lanka Monday decided to appoint a panel comprising five judges to hear the application of President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and to determine whether the Defence Minister of the United National Front government had encroached the power vested with the Executive Presidency of the country under Section 129 of the Constitution, legal sources said.

Ms. Kumaratunge as the Executive President of the country has made an application seeking the determination of the Supreme Court whether she or the Defense Minister has the power to deal with the national security, legal sources said.

The application came up for hearing before the Chief Justice Mr.Sarath N. Silva Monday.

The Chief Justice then decided to appoint a panel of five Supreme Court Judges including himself to hear the petition of the President. " An extensive investigation will be conducted into the application according to Section 129 of the country's constitution," said Mr. Silva when announcing his decision, legal sources said.

The Chief Justice announced that the panel comprising five Supreme Court judges would meet on October 31 and conduct extensive inquiry into the President's application, sources said.

Thereafter the determination of the special panel of the Supreme Court will be sent to the President under seal, legal sources said.