Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has dismissed a petition by the former Army Chief and defeated candidate in the January Presidential election, Sarath Fonseka, seeking declaration of President Mahinda Rajapaksa victory as null and void.
Mr. Rajapaksa won the second term of office defeating Mr. Fonseka, the common opposition candidate. After the election result was announced Mr. Fonseka had accused Mr. Rajapaksa of manipulating the outcome.
A full bench of the Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the preliminary objections raised by the respondents to the maintainability of the petition and dismissed the presidential election petition filed by Mr. Fonseka.
Mr. Rajapaksa in his petition had pleaded that by reason of separate and cumulative effect, Mr. Rajapaksa's re-election was void and that he should have been declared elected.
The five-judge bench said Mr. Fonseka had failed to provide material evidence in support of his charges of irregularities by Mr. Rajapaksa and his campaign managers.
