The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the petitioner in a fundamental rights case linked to the May 9, 2022 violence to take fresh steps to serve notice on former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, who is named as a respondent.
The order suggests that the original notice issued by the court in January did not reach Mr. Rajapaksa, who has been resident outside the country for extended periods since stepping down. Ada Derana reported the directive shortly before midday but did not name the bench or the petitioner’s counsel.
The underlying petition, filed by environmental lawyer Dr. Ravindranath Dabare, seeks recovery of compensation paid to former ministers whose homes were attacked during the violence that erupted on May 9, 2022, after pro-government supporters attacked the GotaGoGama protest at Galle Face. The petition argues those compensation payments were obtained unlawfully.
In addition to Mr. Rajapaksa, the original notice list included former Defence Secretary retired Major General Kamal Gunaratne, former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, former Navy Commander Nishantha Ulugetenne, former Public Security Ministers Prasanna Ranatunga and Tiran Alles, and former Public Security Ministry Secretary Jagath Alwis.
The May 9 unrest left at least nine dead and triggered the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa as prime minister. Multiple civil and criminal proceedings stemming from that day remain pending before Sri Lankan courts; Thursday’s directive ensures Mr. Rajapaksa cannot avoid the substantive hearing on a service-of-process technicality.
