Artiste Samanalee Fonseka and ten other women yesterday filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition in the Supreme Court against the government’s decision to withdraw the gazette issued to lift the ban prohibiting women to purchase liquor or to work in liquor stores.
The petitioners sought a court order declaring Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera or Ministry Secretary R.H.S. Samarathunga had no legal authority to re-impose the ban on the instructions of the President.
The other petitioners are Nishanthi Bandaranayaka, M.D.J.B. Fernando, Chandima Ravini Jinadasa, Deepanjali Abeywardena, Sabrina Esufuli, Sharanya Sekaram, Randula de Silva, Menaka Galgamuwa, Sujatha Gamage and Vishaka Perera Thilakarathna.
Minister Mangala Samaraweera, Ministry Secretary R.H.S. Samarathunga and Attorney General have been cited as respondents. (Thilini de Silva and Ranjan Katugampola)
Taken from Daily Mirror