☸️⚖️🏳️🌈 A petition has been filed before the Supreme Court seeking to declare the Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, tabled in the parliament by MP Premnath C. Dolawatte, is in violation of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
The petition was filed by Retired Army Brigadier K. Athula H. de Silva, Shenali D. Waduge and Jehan Hameed, naming MP Dolawatte and the Attorney General as the respondents in the petition.
The petitioners allege that the relevant Penal Code (Amendment) Bill, which was submitted to the parliament as a private members’ bill by MP Dolawatte, has attempted to interpret homosexual activity as a non-criminal offence, while promoting such activities.
The petition also mentions that it is contrary to the expectations of the legislature regarding the penal code and thereby seriously violates the provisions of the constitution.
Furthermore, the petitioners, who have pointed out that even homosexual activities have not been endorsed in accordance with Buddhist, Hindu, Christian or Islamic religious beliefs, also mention that the provisions of the bill in question are against those religious beliefs.
In addition, the matters expected in the bill are also contrary to the cultural and national identities of Sri Lanka, they claimed.
Therefore, the petitioning party seeks an order that if the proposed Penal Code (Amendment) Bill is required to be passed, it must be approved by a two-thirds majority vote in the Parliament and also a referendum, since the provisions contained in the proposed bill violate the fundamental human rights mentioned in the Constitution.
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Picture Courtesy by Presidential Secretary website
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2023 repeal of Article 365
Premnath C. Dolawatte of the ruling nationalist Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna political party submitted a Private Member Bill to Parliament on the 23rd August 2022 aiming to repeal the colonial-era law banning homosexual sex.
The current President of Sri Lanka Ranil Wickremesinghe said “we are for it” and his government would not oppose the private members bill, but that “you have to get the support of individual members [for the bill to pass in parliament]. It’s a matter of their private conscience.
It was reported by media that the law is likely to be repealed in 2023 due to the cause gaining widespread consensus among said individual members of parliament.
(Wikipedia)
https://english.gossiplankanews.com/2019/11/jvp-will-be-favoured-this-time-with-20.html?m=1
🌐https://www.adaderana.lk/news/89846/petition-filed-against-proposed-penal-code-amendment-bill
Constitutional Rights- CHAPTER II – BUDDHISM
Buddhism.
9. The Republic of Sri Lanka shall give to Buddhism the foremost place and accordingly it shall be the duty of the State to protect and foster the Buddha Sasana, while assuring to all religions the rights granted by Articles 10 and 14(1)(e).
