A fundamental rights petition filed by the SJB seeking an order preventing the Treasury secretary from withholding funds for the local government polls will be heard again on March 03.
Justices S. Thurairaja, Yasantha Kodagoda and Priyantha Fernando of the Supreme Court are taking up the petition by SJB general secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara.
Petitioner’s lawyer Upul Jayasuriya requested that the case be heard before a panel excluding Thurairaja, as the judge has already declared his opinion with regard to the election.
However, the judge denied having expressed any opinion and said he treated all cases before him equally.
Additional solicitor general Nerin Pulle said it was unreasonable to consider a judge in that light.
