Court of Appeal Grants Time to File Objections in Petition Against MP Ramanathan Archchuna

COLOMBO (News 1st); The Court of Appeal today granted time to file objections in the case filed seeking to revoke the parliamentary membership of MP Ramanathan Archchuna.

The petition was taken up before the Court of Appeal bench comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Mahen Gopallawa.

Attorney-at-Law Senani Dayaratne, appearing on behalf of MP Ramanathan Archchuna, requested time to submit objections to the petition.

Accordingly, the court granted four weeks for the respondent to file objections and directed the petitioner to respond within two weeks thereafter.

The petition is scheduled to be taken up again on September 26.

The case was filed by social activist Oshala Herath.

The petitioner alleges that MP Ramanathan Archchuna was serving as a government medical officer at the time of his election to Parliament.

It is claimed that, under the Constitution, a person holding government office is not legally eligible to be elected to Parliament, making the respondent ineligible at the time of his election.

Therefore, the petitioner has requested the court to declare the MP disqualified from holding office, voting in Parliament, and to nullify his seat as a Member of Parliament.