Adaderana | 4 October 2018

Petition against Singapore FTA postponed to next year

By Tharindi Pabasara

The petition filed seeking a court order pronouncing that the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) is against the Constitution, will be taken up for consideration on January 09, the Supreme Court has decided.

The petition had been filed by eight parties including the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA).

The petition was taken up today (04) before a Supreme Court Trial-at-Bar consisting Justices Sisira de Abrew, Nalin Perera and Murdu Fernando.

The junior attorney representing the respondents of the petition requested for another date to take up the petition for consideration as Additional Solicitor General Sanjay Rajaratnam, who is representing the respondents, is currently overseas.

Accordingly, the Supreme Court ordered to take up the petition again on January 09, 2019.

The petition states that the Sri Lanka-Singapore FTA is completely contradictory to the Constitution of the country and that the government has not obtained proper approval of any sort from the parliament before signing the FTA.