Ranjan seeks Court intervention to secure Seat | Daily News

Ranjan seeks Court intervention to secure Seat

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Gampaha District MP Ranjan Ramanayake currently serving a four year jail term for Contempt of Court filed a writ petition in the Court of Appeal claiming his rights to function as a Parliamentarian.

On January 11, the Supreme Court convicted Ranjan Ramanayake for the offence of Contempt of Court and sentenced him to a term of four years Rigorous Imprisonment.

Filing this petition through counsel Dinesh Vidanapathirana,

 Ramanayake is seeking an order restraining the Secretary General of Parliament from taking action to inform the Election Commission that he has vacated his seat as a Member of Parliament.

Ramanayake stated that irreparable harm and damage will be caused to him unless the interim relief is granted to the Petitioner inasmuch as he will be deprived of functioning as a Member of Parliament.

The Petitioner further stated that the People’s franchise would also be adversely affected if he is wrongfully prevented as functioning as a representative of his electorate.

Ramanayake alleged that the Secretary General of Parliament has not taken any action in terms of Section 64 (c) of the Parliamentary Elections Act in respect of Premalal Jayasekara who was elected as a Member from the SLPP which is presently the governing party and continues to sit and vote as a MP despite his conviction of the offence of murder and has been imposed a death sentence.

He alleged that the Secretary General of Parliament would be acting illegally, unlawfully and in violation of Article 12(1) and Article 12(2) of the Constitution which guarantees him equal protection of the law and freedom from discrimination on the grounds of political opinion.