Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Batticaloa District member Ali Zahir Moulana took oaths as a Member of Parliament today.
Moulana was sworn in as a Member of Parliament before the Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena in Parliament this morning.
The SLMC member has been appointed to the post vacated by former Minister of Environment and former SLMC member Naseer Ahamed.
Naseer Ahamed’s Parliamentary seat was disqualified after the Supreme Court recently determined that the SLMC’s decision to expel him from the party was lawful.
In April 2022, the SLMC decided to expel party member Naseer Ahamed after he was sworn in as the Minister of Environment under the former government.
Following his appointment, Naseer Ahamed also endorsed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution in 2020 and voted in favour of the Budget 2022, against the stance of the SLMC. Based on these reasons, the SLMC took measures to expel Naseer Ahamed from the party.
SLMC member Ali Zahir Moulana was next in line to enter Parliament after having secured the second-highest votes in the Batticaloa District for the SLMC in the last election. (NewsWire)