Ranjan seeks interim order preventing suspension of his parliamentary seat

Former State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake, who was handed down a four-year rigorous imprisonment over contempt of court, has filed a writ petition with the Appeals Court, seeking an interim order preventing the suspension of his seat in the Parliament.

The Attorney General and Secretary-General of the Parliament have been named as the respondents of the petition.

In his petition, Ramanayake has pointed out that the Attorney General has declared that his seat in the parliament has fallen vacant due to his conviction and prison sentence.

Former State Minister also noted that according to reliable sources, the Secretary-General of the Parliament has not yet taken any measures to suspend his parliamentary seat.

Ranjan Ramanayake meanwhile filed a motion requesting the Supreme Court to review the conviction.

Through the motion, Ramanayake has further sought permission to file a revision application regarding the verdict.

The former parliamentarian is currently incarcerated at the Angunukolapelessa Prison.

The contempt of court case against former State Minister Ranjan Ramanayake was filed over defamatory remarks made by him against the judiciary on the 21st of August in 2017.

Speaking to the media following a meeting with then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe at the Temple Trees, Ramanayake claimed that the majority of judges in the country issue biased rulings and that they are corrupt.

On the 12th of January this year, a three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Sisira de Abrew, Vijith Malalgoda, and Preethi Padman Surasena delivered a unanimous verdict to sentence Ranjan Ramanayake to four years of rigorous imprisonment, as the charges against him were proven beyond a reasonable doubt.