The Department of Immigration and Emigration says that a special investigation has been started to check the members of parliament who have dual citizenship.
The department stated that the relevant investigation is being conducted based on a document containing the date of birth, name and national identity number of the MPs referred by the Parliament.
The Department of Immigration stated that the Parliament has forwarded the document in accordance with a request made by its department.
Meanwhile, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena stated that it is not the Parliament but the Election Commission that has the authority to check the dual citizenship of the MPs or their qualifications to hold a position of MP according to the constitution.
When asked about this by the Election Commission, the Chairman of the Election Commission, Mr. Nimal Punchihewa, said that since the Election Commission does not have the power to remove parliamentarians with dual citizenship, it should be done only through a judicial process.