Sri Lanka: Interim relief unanimously refused


The Supreme Court today granted leave to proceed in the case involving former President Mahinda Rajapaksa's appeal against the Appeal Court's interim order which barred him from functioning as Prime Minister.





This was announced when the case was taken up before the
Supreme Court today (Dec 14).





Accordingly, it was announced that the case would be
heard on the 16th, 17th and 18th of January next year with a three-week period
being provided to produce submissions.





The petition was filed by Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 other
Parliamentarians against the interim injunction order issued by the Appeals
Court suspending their posts following a petition that challenged their posts.





The petition was filed, challenging the legitimacy of
Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Cabinet, following the approval of two No-Confidence
Motions against the purported government in Parliament.





The appeal was initially heard on Wednesday (Dec 12)
following which it was decided to hear the case today.