Geetha cannot be an MP: AG

14 March 2017 07:40 pm

The Attorney General today informed the Court of Appeal that MP Geetha Kumarasinghe was still a citizen of Switzerland and according to the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, a person who has dual citizenship cannot be an MP.

Deputy Solicitor General Janak De Silva informed Court that, according to clause 91(1) of the Constitution, she was not entitled to Parliamentary privileges and could not be a Member of Parliament.

J.C. Weliamuna, counsel for the petitioners informed Court that the respondent Geetha Kumarasinghe had requested the Swiss authorities to relinquish her Swiss citizenship on August 25.

But there was no documentary evidence to prove that they had revoked her Swiss citizenship.

DSG de Silva said that though the respondent Kumarasinghe had asserted that she had given up her dual citizenship, she had failed to submit any documentary proof of it.

The Court of Appeal Bench,comprising Justices Vijith Malalgoda and Prithi Padman Surasena directed both parties to file written submissions on or before April 5, and fixed the order for May 3.

Four residents of Galle had filed a writ application before the Court of Appeal to remove Geetha Kumarasinghe from her position as an MP. (Thilini De Silva and Ranjan Katugampola)