Case against Ranil dismissed

July 19, 2022 at 11:46 AM

The Supreme Court today dismissed the Fundamental Rights (FR) petition that was filed challenging the legality of United National Party Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe as a Member of Parliament. 

The three-judge bench hearing the case dismissed the petition that called for an order to be issued to revoke Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s Parliament seat. 

The judges informed that the case has been dismissed based on the objection raised by the lawyers of the Respondent.

Attorney-at-Law Nagananda Kodithuwakku had filed the petition at the Supreme Court.

During the hearing yesterday, Kodithuwakka informed the court that as per Article 14 of the Constitution a person who had lost the general election cannot be appointed as a member of Parliament via the National List seat. 

Stating that the name of a National List MP must be informed to the Election Commission within a week from the conclusion of the election, Kodithuwakku said Ranil Wickremesinghe’s name had only been nominated months after the end of the election. 

The decision to appoint Wickremesinghe as the UNP’s National List MP is thereby, a violation of the Constitution, he pointed out. 

Meanwhile, Ranil Wickremesinghe’s lawyer President’s Counsel Ronald Perera pointed out that a petition has been filed against his client out of contempt, as a previous petition filed by Kodithuwakku had been dismissed by the Supreme Court once before. 

Accusing the petitioner of exaggerating facts and attempting to distort the truth, the President’s Counsel requested the court dismiss the petition. 

Presenting facts on the case, the Attorney General’s Department too had informed the court that there was no legal basis to continue the case. 

Taking up the case for consideration today, the Supreme Court announced that the case will be dismissed without further hearing. (NewsWire)