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title: Sri Lanka&#x27;s Supreme Court Says the President Violated the Constitution by Dissolving Parliament | TIME
description: Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that President Maithripala Sirisena’s order to dissolve Parliament and hold new elections was unconstitutional, a much-anticipated verdict that further embroils the Indian Ocean nation in political crisis.
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og:description: Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that President Maithripala Sirisena’s order to dissolve Parliament and hold new elections was unconstitutional, a much-anticipated verdict that further embroils the Indian Ocean nation in political crisis.
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twitter:title: Sri Lanka&#x27;s Supreme Court Says the President Violated the Constitution by Dissolving Parliament
twitter:description: Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that President Maithripala Sirisena’s order to dissolve Parliament and hold new elections was unconstitutional, a much-anticipated verdict that further embroils the Indian Ocean nation in political crisis.
twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ORSGJzUW/poster.jpg?width=720
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# Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Says the President Violated the Constitution by Dissolving Parliament

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<!-- video src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ORSGJzUW.m3u8" -->
## Video: Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Says the President Violated the Constitution by Dissolving Parliament

[Watch (HLS stream): Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Says the President Violated the Constitution by Dissolving Parliament](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/ORSGJzUW.m3u8) (0:45)

![Sri Lanka's Supreme Court Says the President Violated the Constitution by Dissolving Parliament](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/ORSGJzUW/poster.jpg?width=720)

_Published 2018-12-14. Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court ruled unanimously that President Maithripala Sirisena’s order to dissolve Parliament and hold new elections was unconstitutional, a much-anticipated verdict that further embroils the Indian Ocean nation in political crisis._


---

Jul 28, 2023 12:58 AM UTC

---

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### Sri Lanka's Prime Minister Sacked Over Alleged Assassination Plot as the Nation Edges Toward Crisis

[Sri Lanka's Worst-Ever Dengue Outbreak Kills 225](/video/95IAVmwQ/)

### Sri Lanka's Worst-Ever Dengue Outbreak Kills 225

---


## Transcript

The main issue that arose in this case is whether the president has the power to dissolve parliament during the first four and a half years at will. Supreme Court has very clearly said no, and that unless parliament request by it who does majority, The parliament cannot be dissolved by the procedure. So that is the crux of the case. Supreme Court had said, [ UNKNOWN ] is an [ UNKNOWN ], why [ INAUDIBLE ]? No, now the thing is this, supreme is [ UNKNOWN ] in this country Supreme Court He does protect the democracy of this country he does protect the people of this country then now the thing is [ UNKNOWN ] now no more he can stay there as a president he has to go home.

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