The Court of Appeal today (02) granted leave to proceed with the hearing of the petition filed seeking to nullify the parliamentary membership of Jaffna District Independent MP Ramanathan Archchuna.

However, the Appeals Court bench stated that it would not issue an interim injunction preventing MP Archchuna from sitting in Parliament and voting, as requested in the petition.

The order was issued by a bench Court of Appeal Justices comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Mahen Gopallawa.

The petition was submitted by activist Oshala Herath, chairman of the ‘Abhinawa Niwahal Peramuna’.

The counsel appearing on behalf of the petitioner said before the court that the respondent MP had been serving as a government doctor and was under interdiction at the time of his election to Parliament, making him constitutionally ineligible to be elected as a Member of Parliament.

Accordingly, he further argued that MP Archchuna does not have the legal right to sit in Parliament or cast votes in the House.

However, Attorney-at-Law Senany Dayaratne, appearing for MP Archchuna, stated that his client was under interdiction without receiving a salary at the time of his election and therefore could not be considered a government employee at that point.

Therefore, the attorney argued that there was no legal impediment to Archchuna’s election to Parliament.

After considering the arguments presented by both parties, the Court of Appeal granted leave to proceed with the hearing of the petition.

The petition has been scheduled to be taken up for hearing on August 01, 2025.