Sri Lankan businessman Dhammika Perera has assured he will not take oaths as an MP or Minister until the Supreme Court decides whether or not to grant leave to proceed with the Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions that have been filed challenging his appointment.

Dhammika Perera’s lawyer informed the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka today in this regard.

On 10th June, a Gazette was issued on the appointment of Dhammika Perera as a Member of Parliament from the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) National list.

Following the announcement, the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and its Executive Director filed an FR application challenging the appointment of Dhammika Perera.

Perera was set to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Basil Rajapaksa, as a Member of Parliament elected under Article 99A of the Constitution (the National List).

The CPA said in accordance with Article 99A of the Constitution, that a person is only entitled to be nominated to fill such a vacancy if their name was included in the district nomination papers or national list submitted by the relevant political party.

However, Dhammika Perera’s name was not on the list submitted by the SLPP to the Election Commission under Article 99A of the Constitution or in any nomination paper submitted in respect of any electoral district by the SLPP for the General Election held in 2020.

From NewsWire