The Attorney General has requested the Supreme Court (SC) to dismiss the petitions against the polls date. The AG made this request when the SC took up further hearing of the seven fundamental rights (FR) petitions filed challenging the date of the general elections  set by the Election Commission (EC) today. The hearing of the petitions commenced for the fifth consecutive day today before the five-judge bench comprising Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya and Justices Buwaneka Aluvihare, Sisira de Abrew, Priyantha Jayawardena, and Vijith Malalgoda. The seven petitions have been filed by Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunaratne, Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), journalist Victor Ivan, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), and others. The petitioners claim that the EC setting 20 June as the new date for the general election was against provisions in the Constitution, and that the failure to convene the new parliament within three months of the dissolution of the previous Parliament makes the Gazette issued by the President invalid. The petitioners also noted that a free and fair election cannot be held as the threat of the Covid-19 virus is yet to be eliminated, adding that it is a violation of people’s right to vote freely.