Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana confirmed as Naseer Ahamed’s replacement in Parliament

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Vice President Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana has been appointed as a Member of Parliament for the Batticaloa electoral district, by way of an Extraordinary Gazette notification issued by the Election Commission of Sri Lanka (ECSL) yesterday. 

Moulana was appointed to the position, consequent to the Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera informing the ECSL this week that a vacancy has occurred in the membership of the Ninth Parliament due to the recent disqualification of Minister Naseer Ahmed Zainulabdeen via a judgement delivered by the Supreme Court. 

The Gazette specifies that, as per the direction of the Election Commission under Section 64(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981 and in accordance with paragraph 13 (b) of Article 99 of the Constitution, the Returning Officer for the respective Electoral District was tasked with the responsibility of filling the vacancy.  Consequently, the Gazette noted that the Returning Officer has reported that SLMC’s Seyed Ali Zahir Moulana has been duly declared as the elected Member of Parliament for the said Electoral District, and this report has been officially submitted to the ECSL.  Taking to social media platform X, Moulana remarked “This judgement establishes a significant precedent for the political establishment, reinforcing the core ideologies and principles of political parties, upholding the principles of a civilised and orderly democracy, and, most importantly, solidifying the supreme authority of our Constitution,”

Moulana, an SLMC stalwart, was a former Minister and MP under the United National Party (UNP).