Hirunika challenges the legality

  Former Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra, yesterday (20) filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the Presidential Pardon granted by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa to former Parliamentarian Duminda Silva. On September 8, 2016, five accused, including former MP Duminda Silva was sentenced to death by Colombo High Court for committing the murder of four persons including, former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra on or around October 8, 2011. In her petition, Colombo district former Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra is seeking a declaration that her fundamental rights guaranteed under Article 12(1) for equal protection of the law have been violated. Hirunika Premachandra had named Attorney General, Commissioner General of Prisons, the Minister of Justice and several others as respondents. The petitioner said the decision to pardon Duminda Silva is unreasonable and undermining the authority of the court. The petitioner further states, the conviction was affirmed by a five-judge bench of the Supreme Court. On October 11, 2018, Supreme Court five-judge-bench unanimously decided to dismiss appeal petitions filed by former MP Duminda Silva and two others challenging the judgment of Colombo High Court that found them guilty for conspiring to murder four persons including former MP Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.