Sarath Fonseka vs. Mahinda Rajapakse – sllr 2010 volume 1 page 376

In the case between Sarath Fonseka (petitioner) and Mahinda Rajapaksa and others (respondents, including various state media corporations), the Court addressed the maintainability of a presidential election petition, specifically focusing on statutory compliance, necessary parties, and the sufficiency of pleadings under the Presidential Elections Act. It was held that the petition was fatally defective due to failure to comply with mandatory statutory requirements—most notably, the omission of essential facts, the non-joinder of parties as required by Section 95(1)(b), and including claims for relief not available under Section 94. The principle reaffirmed was that statutory provisions regulating election petition procedure must be strictly complied with, and the reliefs available under Se