The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition filed by former Minister Rajitha Senaratne, requesting a recount of the preferential votes received by candidates of the New Democratic Front (NDF) in the Kalutara District during the 2024 General Election.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Preethi Padman Surasena, Janaka de Silva, and Sampath B. Abeykoon fixed the petition for consideration on 30 September 2025.
The petition names the Election Commission, its Chairman and members, the Kalutara District Returning Officer, MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena (who was elected from the NDF in 2024), and the Attorney General as respondents.
Senaratne alleges in the petition that irregularities in the vote-counting process in the Kalutara District prevented him from securing a parliamentary seat. He highlights that the margin between him and the elected MP was only 119 votes, arguing that the errors in counting led to this outcome.
He has urged the Supreme Court to declare that his fundamental rights were violated and to direct the relevant authorities to recount the preferential votes of NDF candidates in the district and release revised results.
Attorneys, including Keerthi Thilakarathne and President’s Counsel Faiz Musthapha, represented Senaratne in court.
