Petition filed in SC challenging ban on women buying alcohol

A petition was filed in the Supreme Court challenging the ban on women buying alcohol.

Eleven women  filed a Fundamental Rights (FR) petition in the Supreme Court

Among those who filed the petition was actress Samanalee Fonseka.

Cabinet had earlier decided to withdraw two gazette notices issued by Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera on the sale of liquor.

Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera issued a special gazette notification last week under the excise ordinance which revise the business hours of the liquor licensed establishments in the country.

The Finance Ministry also announced last week that the schedule in the Excise Notification no.666 of the Gazette Extraordinary of 1979 had been amended to allow females over 18 years to purchase alcohol legally and also to be employed at licensed premises without prior approval from the Excise Commissioner.

However on Tuesday both gazette notifications were withdrawn on the advice of President Maithripala Sirisena. (Colombo Gazette)