A fundamental rights petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against the appointment of businessman Dhammika Perera as a Member of Parliament.
That is by the Center for Policy Alternatives and its Executive Director, Dr. Pakyasothy Saravanamuttu.
Businessman Dhammika Perera has been appointed to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna MP Basil Rajapaksa.
The petition seeks a ruling that the decision violates the Constitution.
The petitioners point out that in the event of a vacancy in the National List, only a person whose names appear in the nominations submitted for the districts at the General Election or whose names appear on the National List will be able to fill the vacancy.
However, the petitioners have stated that Dhammika Perera’s name is not in the nomination papers or the national list submitted for the last general election.
In that case even Basil’s name was not registered in the National List either. After the 20A was passed in Parliament Jayantha Ketagoda resigned and Basil was appointed in his place. How come?
I suppose this will also exclude anyone from the Aragalaya joining parliament?