A special petition has filed in the Supreme Court against the Economic Revival Bill which was recently gazetted by the government.
The petitioners are asking the court to declare that this bill requires the approval of the people through a referendum in addition to the approval of 2/3 of the Parliament.
The petitioners state in their petition that the proposed bill attempts to change the basic nature of the state from a socialist state to a neo-liberal state.
The petitioners say the bill promotes the free flow of capital, promotes unregulated foreign investment and reduces the role of the cabinet and parliament in economic policy-making.
They say that the bill seeks to make Sri Lanka a neoliberal state and as it changes the basic nature of the state, it violates Article 1 of the Constitution.
Amarasingha Suranjaya, General Secretary of Commercial and Industrial Employees Union, Amaranth Ranajan Senanayake, General Secretary of Bank of Ceylon Employees Union, Kalpa Madhuranga, Secretary of Protect Union, Tharindu Iranga Jayawardena, President of Young Journalists Association, Tharindu Amila Uduwaragedara, Anurath Amila Uduwaragedara, Anurathrali Disarali have responded to this petition. The Attorney General has been named as the respondent.