SC to convey its determination on Anti-Conversion Bill

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 10 August 2004, 17:26 GMT]
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court (SC) Tuesday said that it would convey its determination on the constitutionality of the private member bill titled "Prohibition of Forcible Conversion of Religion Act No. of 2004" published in the Gazette on 28th May, 2004 to the President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge and the Speaker Mr.W.J.M.Lokkubandara Wednesday, legal sources said.

Twenty-two petitions challenging the constitutionality of the bill and 13 petitions in support of the bill were taken up for inquiry Tuesday before three-member bench of the Supreme Court comprised Justices T.B.Weerasuriya, Nimal Dissanayake and Raja Fernando.

Counsels appearing for the petitioners in support of the bill and against the bill submitted their written submission to the court for perusal, legal sources said.

Jathika Hela Urumaya parliamentarian Venerable Dr.Omalpe Sobitha Thera presented this bill in parliament. Counsels for petitioners in support of the bill argued that the bill is not contrary to the Constitution.

Counsels appeared for petitioners against the bill argued that bill is contrary to the fundamental tenets of the constitution, legal sources said

Meanwhile, the President Ms Chandrika Kumaratunge last week addressing a meeting held in the President's House said that law could not prevent unethical conversions. She appealed to Buddhist monks to get involve in supporting the poor, which could stop unethical conversion.