A Gazette notification has been issued announcing the Ministerial Portfolio of Environment being brought under the purview of President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The President has taken over the Ministerial Portfolio following the disqualification of Naseer Ahamed as a member of parliament due to his expulsion from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC). 

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.

The Supreme Court recently determined that the expulsion of Naseer Ahamed from the SLMC was lawful.

Thereafter, the Elections Commission reportedly received a notice from the Secretary General of Parliament indicating that MP Naseer Ahamed’s seat had become vacant.

The Election Commission also announced that SLMC member Ali Zahir Moulana has been declared an elected Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa District, filling the Parliament seat vacated by Naseer Ahamed.

Following the disqualification of Naseer Ahamed, President Ranil Wickremesinghe has taken over his portfolio as Minister of Environment. 

Gazette: http://documents.gov.lk/files/egz/2023/10/2353-56_E.pdf (NewsWire)

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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)

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The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has determined that the decision taken to remove Minister of Environment Naseer Ahamed from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) is valid and legal.

The decision was announced by the Supreme Court judge bench consisting of Preethi Padman Surasena and Mahinda Samayawardhena when the case in this regard was taken up for hearing today (Oct 06).

In April 2022, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 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.

Naseer Ahamed had contested the elections under the SLMC and won in the Batticaloa District, becoming a member of Parliament.

However, it is unclear as to what will happen with regard to his Parliamentary seat due to the Supreme Court’s decision announced today. (NewsWire)

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