Supreme Court suspends Appeal Court’s judgment on Geetha’s MP seat
May 12, 2017 11:49 am
The Supreme Court has suspended the Appeal Court’s judgment regarding MP Geetha Kumarasinghe’s eligibility to hold a seat in parliament, till the 15 of May.
The Appeal Court has put forward the fact that Kumarasighe’s MP position violates a clause in the country’s constitution which states that dual citizenship holders will not be allowed to hold position in Parliament.
Meanwhile the Elections Commission has unanimously decided not to fill the seat left vacant in Parliament, until the Supreme Court’s verdict is announced.
The Court of Appeal had disqualified UPFA Galle District MP Geetha Kumarasinghe from holding a seat in Parliament due to her dual citizenship status, on May 3.
A petition was presented in March 2015 by four individuals from Galle challenging Kumarasinghe’s election to Parliament from the district at the last general election, due to her holding citizenship in Sri Lanka and Switzerland.
The verdict was delivered on the 3 of May by Judge Preethi Padman Surasena with agreement of the President of the Court of Appeal Vijith K. Malalgoda.
On March 14, the Attorney General had informed the Court of Appeal that Kumarasinghe cannot continue to serve as a Member of Parliament (MP) as she has failed to revoke her citizenship in Switzerland.
According to section 20 of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, Article 91(1)(d)(xiii), a citizen of Sri Lanka who is also a citizen of any other country shall not be qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament or to sit and vote in Parliament.
