Writ of Quo Warranto against Ranil: CA defers support for 31 January

By S.S .Selvanayagam

Court of Appeal yesterday deferred 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 from being a Member of Parliament for 31 January.

The matter came up before Justice Arjuna Obeysekera.

Co-President of ‘Women for Justice’ and UPFA Colombo Municipal Councillor 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.