Hearing of petition against Gota begins

The three-judge bench of the Court of Appeal commenced considering the petition filed against recognising Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a Sri Lankan citizen.

The Court of Appeal earlier fixed for October 2 and 3 the writ petition disputing the citizenship of former Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa before a three-judge-bench.

Petitioners Gamini Viyangoda and Prof. Chandraguptha Thenuwara cited the Controller General of Immigration and Emigration, the Commissioner-General of the Department of Registration of Persons, the Internal and Home Affairs Minister, Ministry Secretary, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Acting IGP C.D. Wickramaratne, Senior DIG Ravi Seneviratne, CID Director G.S. Abeysekara and CID Special Branch OIC Lalith Dissanayake as respondents.

Pix by Damith Wickramasinghe