UPFA decides to give Geetha’s MP seat to Piyasena Gamage
November 7, 2017 09:37 pm
The United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) has decided to nominate former minister Piyasena Gamage to fill the seat in Parliament left vacant following the court verdict against Geetha Kumarasinghe.
The Supreme Court on Thursday (Nov. 2) upheld the ruling delivered by the Appeals Court that UPFA MP Geetha Kumarasinghe cannot hold a seat in Parliament due to her duel citizenship.
In May, the Court of Appeal ruled that Kumarasinghe is disqualified to be a Member of Parliament as she is a holder of dual-citizenship.
However, the actress-turned-politician filed a special appeal with the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Court of Appeal.
A petition was presented in March 2015 by four individuals from Galle challenging Kumarasinghe’s election to Parliament from the district at the last general election, due to her holding citizenship in Sri Lanka and Switzerland.
The Appeal Court had ruled to disqualify her from holding a a seat in the Parliament on the grounds that Kumarasighe’s MP position violates a clause in the country’s constitution which states that dual citizenship holders will not be allowed to hold position in Parliament.
The Supreme Court had suspended the Appeal Court’s judgment regarding Kumarasinghe’s eligibility to hold a seat in parliament, after she had appealed the decision, pending a verdict.
Former minister Piyasena Gamage had successfully sought the permission of the court to become a respondent in the case as he is next in the list to fill the MP seat vacated by Kumarasinghe.
Meanwhile the Elections Commission had unanimously decided not to fill the seat left vacant in Parliament, until the Supreme Court’s verdict was announced.
