The Supreme Court (SC) has extended the interim order suspending the implementation of the death penalty until December 10.
In July this year, the SC had issued the interim order until October 30, after considering a fundamental rights petition of a lawyer against the punishment.
The Attorney General, Justice Minister, and the Prisons Commissioner General were named as respondents to the petition.
Attorney K.H. Diganage had petitioned court, after President Maithripala Sirisena declared that he had signed the death warrants for four inmates convicted of narcotic offences.
The President who has been calling for the punishment to curb the narcotic menace, recently said he would carry out atleast one execution during his term in office, if a court ruling is issued in his favour.
However, President Sirisena’s term will expire after the presidential election on November 16.
(Sunday Times)