– The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of 67 Special Determination petitions for 15 minutes a short while ago to accommodate more people in the courtroom, following a request by President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran.

When the petitions were taken up for hearing in Courtroom No. 502, Sumanthiran informed the Supreme Court that, according to the daily court list, the petitions were scheduled to be heard in Courtroom No. 501, the ceremonial courtroom, which has greater seating capacity.He submitted that, under the Constitution, court proceedings should be conducted in public, enabling members of the public to observe the proceedings.Taking the request into consideration, the five-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, decided to hear the petitions in Courtroom No. 501.