SJB legitimacy at stake after SC ruling on Diana: Kanchana

• One could question whether Gamage who has been declared as a non-citizen of this country could register a political party
• “Be prepared for a legal battle to save your MP posts,” the minister said 

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana  
Another court case with regard to Diana Gamage is on the cards as anyone could file another court case calling the Supreme Court to declare whether Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs could remain in Parliament as per yesterday’s judgement, Minister Kanchana Wijesekera told Parliament yesterday.   

 “One could question whether Gamage who has been declared as a non-citizen of this country could register a political party. One could also question whether the MOU signed by SJB General Secretary with Ms.Gamage is legally valid. Further the validity of nomination papers signed by Gamage for certain MPs is also questionable,” the Minister said.
“Some SJB MPs whom I chatted with at the House canteen informed me that they were worried about yesterday’s judgment of the Supreme Courts which ruled that Gamage cannot function as an MP as she is not a citizen of Sri Lanka.  They are concerned since they may have to give up their MP posts,” he added.  “Be prepared for a legal battle to save your MP posts,” he told SJB MPs SJB MP Thushara Indunil who responded said there won’t be any question on MP posts of his group as the Supreme Court in 2020 had held that Ms. Gamage has nothing to do with the SJB. “This verdict was given by the  UNP led by Ranil Wickremesinghe when they filed a petition requesting the courts to cancel nominations of SJBers just before the 2020 general elections,” he said.  “Besides Ms. Gamage has not signed our nomination papers therefore there will not be any issue,” he added.