Geetha et al given time by Appeal Court

The Court of Appeal today granted actress turned Parliamentarian Geetha Kumarasinghe and three others time till March 5 to file objections in Writ Application challenging her appointment and/or election as the Member of Parliament.

The matter was taken up before the Bench comprising Justices Vijith K.Malalgoda (P/CA) and P. Padman Surasena.

Petitioners are W.W.E. Buweneka, J.K. Amarawardhana, A.C. Gunasekera, J.K. Wijesinghe and Prasanna Deepthilal.

They cited Ms. Geetha Sammanmala Kumarasinghe, Controller of Immigration & Emigration, UPFA Secretary Prof. Vishwa Warnapala and the Secretary General of Parliament as Respondents.

The petitioners accuse the appointment /election of Geetha Kumarasinghe to office of Member of Parliament, contending that she is not de jure (legally) entitled to such appointment and/or election and holding the said office without authority.

Petitioners state that Geetha Kumarasinghe is a holder of dual citizenship namely Sri Lanka and Switzerland and she had contested the 2015 Parliamentary Elections without divulging her dual citizenship at the time of submitting her nomination.

They claim, she, by virtue of the Constitution, is not qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament and charge that she is thus a usurper authority of a Member of Parliament.

She had been declared as a Member of Parliament representing UPFA for the Galle District, they state. (S.S.Selvanayagam)