Sri Lanka, March 7 -- A fundamental rights (FR) petition has been filed before the Supreme Court challenging the Sri Lanka-Thailand Free Trade Agreement (SLTFTA).

The petitioners have requested the Supreme Court to deliver an order preventing the implementation of the trade deal.

A total of 27 individuals including the Attorney General (on behalf of the President), the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Ministers, Secretary to the Finance Ministry and Secretary to the Trade Ministry have been named as respondents of this petition.

During the visit of Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin and his delegation of business dignitaries in February, Sri Lanka inked the historic trade agreement with Thailand in a bid to boost market opportunities, wit...