Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court has been accused of “judicial cannibalism” by President Ranil Wickremesinghe following its ruling that the ‘Gender Equality’ Bill is inconsistent with Article 12 of the Constitution. On Tuesday, the President proposed forming a select committee to review the judgment, a move that faced opposition from several MPs.
“The top court has ignored a certain section which the Gender Equality Bill has addressed. It has eaten up all the judgments including one which had been given by a bench of ten judges with regard to women’s rights. It has engaged in judicial cannibalism,” Wickremesinghe stated, as reported by the Daily Mirror.
The Gender Equality Bill aims to ensure equal opportunities for all, regardless of sex or gender identity, in Sri Lanka, a Buddhist-majority nation of 22 million people. However, the Supreme Court’s ruling highlighted that certain provisions, particularly those that could permit same-sex marriages, were constitutionally and culturally problematic.
President Wickremesinghe suggested that a select committee, primarily comprising members of the Parliamentary Women’s Caucus, be appointed to review the court’s decision. However, MP Wimal Weerawansa argued that challenging the Supreme Court’s rulings undermines the judiciary’s authority. TNA MP MA Sumanthiran recommended referring the bill back to the Supreme Court for re-determination rather than forming a select committee.
Petitioners against the bill argued that it could harm cultural sensitivities by potentially allowing same-sex marriages. The Supreme Court ruled that a two-thirds parliamentary majority and a referendum would be required to pass the bill without amending its contentious clauses.
Comments