Five fundamental rights petitions filed against the appointment of businessman Dhammika Perera as a Member of Parliament through the national list, have been dismissed by the Supreme Court without being taken up for consideration.
Dhammika Perera yesterday informed the Supreme Court that he will not take oath as a Parliamentarian or a Minister until a verdict is issued pertaining to the petitions filed against him.
The petitions were taken up before a three-member bench comprising Justices Priyantha Jayawardena, Yasantha Kodagoda, and Arjuna Obeysekera this afternoon.
Petitions were filed against Dhammika Perera’s appointment by the Centre of Policy Alternatives, member of the Movement for a People’s Struggle Duminda Nagamuwa, and three others.
The petitioners claimed that the appointment of the Dhammika Perera as an MP is in violation of the country’s Constitution and therefore calls for the decision to be revoked with immediate effect.
A Gazette Notification was issued by the National Election Commission on the 10th of June appointing Dhammika Perera as a Member of Parliament.
Perera was appointed as a MP to the National List seat of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna that was vacant following the resignation of Basil Rajapaksa.
The Election Commission said Dhammika Perera was nominated to the post by the General Secretary of the SLPP Sagara Kariyawasam.
Accordingly, the Election Commission, in the exercise of powers conferred by Section 64(5) of the Parliamentary Elections Act, No.1 of 1981 to be read together with the provisions of the Constitution declared Kulappu Arachchige Don Dhammika Perera a Member of Parliament to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Basil Rajapaksa.
