SC to hear appeal on Minister Wijepala’s parliamentary eligibility

Colombo, June 22 (Daily Mirror) - The Supreme Court today granted special leave to appeal against a Court of Appeal ruling that dismissed a challenge to the parliamentary eligibility of Minister of Public Security Ananda Wijepala.

The appeal was filed by Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) activist Renuka Dushyantha Perera, who had originally sought a writ order declaring that Wijepala was disqualified from serving as a Member of Parliament.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justices Janak De Silva, Menaka Wijesundera and Sampath Wijeratne granted leave to proceed with the appeal and fixed the matter for argument on November 3.

The petitioner’s original petition alleged that Minister Wijepala, while serving as an MP, had also been appointed as Chief of Staff to the President, a position which, according to the petitioner, rendered him a public officer and therefore ineligible to continue as a Member of Parliament.

The petitioner sought a declaration that Wijepala was not entitled to sit or vote in Parliament and was disqualified from holding office as an MP.

The writ petition, however, was dismissed by the Court of Appeal on May 7, 2025. The Court upheld a preliminary objection raised by the Attorney General, who contended that the petitioner had failed to name the necessary parties as respondents to the action.

Counsel Vishva Vimukthi appeared on behalf of the petitioner, while President’s Counsel Geoffrey Alagaratnam represented Minister Ananda Wijepala.