Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva has filed a petition at the Supreme Court, against the Provincial Councils Election (Amendment) Act.

The Provincial Councils Election (Amendment) Act was passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority on September 20.

One hundred and fifty four MPs voted for the Amendments while forty-three voted against.

The Provincial Councils Election (Amendment) Act seeks to amend Section 10 of Act, No. 2 of 1988.

Accordingly, Section 10 of the Provincial Councils Elections Act No. 2 of 1988 is amended in subsection (1) of that section, by the substitution for the words and figures from “Within one week” to “an election to such Council.” of the words and figures “Within one week from the date specified in terms of Article 154DD of the Constitution, the Commissioner shall publish a notice of his intention to hold an election to all Provincial Councils.”

The passage of the Provincial Councils Election (Amendment) Act drew the criticism of several NGOs and other such agencies for the ‘rushed’ and ‘non-transparent’ manner in which it was allegedly passed.