Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed the United National Party (UNP) that he will not pursue legal action over the recent withdrawal of privileges previously granted to former heads of state.
Wickremesinghe said that he sees no justification for seeking court intervention to retain such entitlements.
He noted that should other former presidents decide to challenge the move legally, he would not lend his support.
He also said that legal counsel provided to former presidents has advised that any litigation should proceed on a unified argument, without contradictions.
Meanwhile, former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga said last week that she would not resort to any legal action against the government’s decision to abolish the privileges granted to former Presidents.
A petition was filed before the Supreme Court by the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Administrative Secretary Renuka Perera last week, challenging the government’s decision to repeal the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, No. 4 of 1986.
The petitioner argued that several clauses violate the doctrine of the separation of powers guaranteed by the Constitution, and that some provisions infringe on the sovereignty of the people and the independence of the nation.
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