A five-judge bench including the Chief Justice today (01) rejected the request to appoint a full bench of Supreme Court judges to consider the petitions filed challenging the 22nd Amendment Bill.
That was when the consideration of the 67 petitions filed in the Supreme Court regarding the 22nd Amendment began today.
Having considered all the matters presented there, the bench of judges issued an order that the petitions be considered before the existing five-judge bench.
The 22nd Amendment Bill, which seeks to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, was presented to Parliament for its first reading on August 18, a week after its gazettement.
Thereafter, a period of two weeks was given to file petitions challenging its constitutionality with the Supreme Court, which expired yesterday.
Accordingly, 67 petitions have been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the 22nd Amendment.
It is also noteworthy that 41 of these petitions were filed online.
In addition, the number of petitions filed challenging the Judiciary Amendment Bill presented to Parliament is 05.
The Supreme Court issued a notice to the Attorney General yesterday evening, asking him to submit his views on these petitions.
The consideration of the petitions filed challenging the 22nd Amendment Bill commenced this morning.
The five-member Supreme Court bench, chaired by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, includes Justices Achala Vengappuli, Arjuna Obeysekara, Sampath Abeykoon and Gihan Kulatunga.