A petition has been filed with the Court of Appeal seeking an order to invalidate the parliamentary seat of Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala.
The petition, filed by the Administrative Secretary of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) – Renuka Perera, names Minister Ananda Wijepala, the Secretary General of Parliament and the Attorney General as respondents.
The petition mentions that Wijepala was appointed as the Minister of Public Security by the President on Nov. 18 and another request made under the Sri Lankan Right to Information Act has confirmed that Wijepala had been appointed as the President’s Chief of Staff as well.
The petitioner points out that, according to Article 91 of the Constitution, a person engaged in public service is not eligible to sit in Parliament or vote in Parliament and argues that the position of the Chief of Staff to the President is a state position, and that accordingly, Minister Wijepala is not qualified to hold a seat in Parliament while holding that position.
Therefore, the petition requests that an interim injunction be issued preventing Ananda Wijepala from sitting as a Member of Parliament, from acting as Minister of Public Security and from voting in the Parliament until the petition is heard and a final decision is made.
