Rathana Thera gets OPP National List seat

• Dispute over single National List seat ends with former JHU MP named to fill vacancy
• UNP National List seat remains vacant 

The drawn-out dispute over who would occupy the single National List won by Our People’s Party (OPP) or the Ape Jana Bala Pakshaya ended yesterday with Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera named to the seat.

Commissioner General of Elections Saman Sri Ratnayake issued the Gazette notification naming Ven. Rathana Thera as the OPP MP close to four months after the conclusion of last August’s Parliamentary Election.

The seat was hotly disputed with the Leader of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) Ven. Galabodatte Gnanasara Thera and the General Secretary of the APP Ven. Wedinigama Wimalatissa Thera also staking a claim to the seat. The single National List seat won by the United National Seat in the last General Election still remains vacant.