Shirani Thilekawardena has withdrawn from the Supreme Court bench of judges hearing the fundamental rights petition filed by Law College student Thushara Jayaratne against the President’s eldest son, Namal Rajapaksa, claiming that his fundamental rights have been violated due to the special privileges offered to Rajapaksa as the final law exam held in October last year.

When the petition was taken up for hearing on the 1st, the judge had said the case should be handed over to another bench of judges, as she could not hear the case since she is a member of the legal education council which is an accused party in the case and since it was against the natural course of justice.

Thushara Jayaratne has charged that Namal Rajapaksa has violated the right to equality at the examination. Namal Rajapaksa has been given an air conditioned room to write for the examination and had also been provided with computer facilities.

The Chief Justice who is the head of the legal education council, Law College Principal and Namal Rajapaksa have been cited as respondents in the case. The case bearing no. FR223/2011 is to be taken up for hearing on the 25th.