CA Acting President Deepali declines to hear Writ of Quo Warranto against Ranil

By S. S. Selvanayagam

The Court of Appeal Acting President Justice Deepali Wijesundera yesterday declined to be a member of the Bench hearing the Writ of Quo Warranto (a writ or legal action requiring a person to show by what warrant an office is held) Petition against Ranil Wickremesinghe being a Member of Parliament.

The matter came up yesterday before Justices Deepali Wijesundera (Acting President/CA) and Arjuna Obeysekera.

The matter was transferred to Court Number 110 of Justices A.L.S. Gooneratne and K. Priyantha Fernando to be mentioned today for fixing a date for support.

UPFA Colombo Municipal Councillor and ‘Women for Justice’ Co-President Sharmila Gonawela cited Ranil Wickremesinghe, Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and General Secretary of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake and two others as Respondents.

Petitioner states Ranil Wickremesinghe is a shareholder of a private institution which had contracts for printing materials of public enterprises.

She is seeking the Court to issue an Interim Order preventing Wickremesinghe from functioning as an MP until the final determination.

She states that according to the provisions of the Constitution, it has been interpreted that MPs who engage in businesses by entering into contracts with State institutions are deemed disqualified from holding a seat in Parliament.

She states while Wickremesinghe was functioning as a Parliamentarian, a company of his was involved in business with State organisations and institutions, and as such he could not act as a Parliamentarian.

She seeks the Court to declare that his Membership in Parliament was null and void.

Uditha Egalahewa PC with N.K. Ashokbharan appeared for the Petitioner. Instructed by G.G. Arulpragasam, President’s Counsel K. Kanag-Iswaran with Niranjan Arulpragasam appeared for Ranil Wickremesinghe and Suren Fernando appeared for Akila Viraj Kariyawasam. Additional Solicitor General Farzana Jameel appeared for the Attorney General.