Hearing into FR case on SL-Singapore FTA postponed to November

• AG informs Court committee appointed to study FTA yet to conclude findings
• Courts grants time till 3 November on request of AG  

The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court yesterday that the committee appointed to study the Sri Lanka-Singapore Free Trade Agreement (SLSFTA) is yet to give a final report.

Senior State Counsel Nirmalan Wigneswaran made the submission to Court when the Fundamental Rights petition filed by the Government Medical Officers Association (GMOA) and several other professional bodies was taken up for hearing before the Bench comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena and Yasantha Kodagoda.

SSC Wigneswaran told the Court that the delay in submitting a final report was due to the ongoing situation in the country and requested the court to grant more time to complete the study.

The Petitioners claim the FTA signed with Singapore by the previous Government is ultra vires the Constitution and are seeking an order revoking it.

The Petitioners state that such a bilateral agreement must be sanctioned by Parliament before it is signed.

The next date of the hearing was fixed for 3 November. The Court directed the SSC to inform the Court of the progress of the committee on that day.