Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) member Ali Zahir Moulana says he has been declared an elected Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa District, filling the Parliament seat vacated by Minister of Environment Naseer Ahamed.
Taking to ‘X’, Moulana stated that his appointment comes following the landmark verdict of the Supreme Court last Friday, which determined that the expulsion of Naseer Ahamed from the SLMC was lawful.
In April 2022, the SLMC made the decision to expel Naseer Ahamed from the party after he changed his political affiliation and was subsequently sworn in as the Environment Minister in the Gotabaya Rajapaksa-led Government.
Following the Supreme Court’s recent decision, the Elections Commission reportedly received a notice from the Secretary General of Parliament indicating that MP Naseer Ahamed’s seat has become vacant.
SLMC member Ali Zahir Moulana is reportedly next in line to enter Parliament after having secured the second-highest votes in the Batticaloa District for the SLMC in the last election.
“By way of the landmark verdict of the Supreme Court last Friday, I have been declared elected as a Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa District today,” Moulana announced via a message on ‘X’.
He further said that the Supreme Court judgement sets a critical precedent for the political establishment, strengthening the ideologies and principles of political parties, fortifying the doctrines of maintaining a civilized, orderly democracy and most importantly consolidating the absoluteness of our Constitution.
“At a time when being one of the 225 Parliamentarians is frowned upon by an entire nation, I too now shall be one of them. However, I intend to and sincerely promise to do my utmost to my constituents in Batticaloa, to my fellow citizens and to Sri Lanka,” he added. (NewsWire)