Sri Lanka, Jan. 24 -- His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has filed a petition challenging the Anti-Terrorism Bill which was presented to the parliament by the government in a bid to replace the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA).

In his petition, the Cardinal has requested the Supreme Court to deliver an order stating that several provisions of the Anti-Terrorism Bill are not in line with the Constitution.

The Attorney General has been named as the respondent of the petition, which alleges that the proposed legislation, if passed in its current form, would grant unlimited powers to the Tri-Forces, the Police and the Coast Guard to make unwarranted arrests without reasonable suspicion.

This is a violation of the fundamental rights inc...