Parliament notifies Election Commission of two vacant Parliamentary seats
The Acting General Secretary of the Parliament Mr. Chaminda Kularatne has informed in writing to the Chairman of the Election Commission that two Parliamentary seats in the Ninth Parliament have become vacant from the 09th August 2024 due to the cancellation of parliamentary seats of Members of Parliament Hon. Manusha Nanayakkara and Hon. Harin Fernando.
This has been informed in terms of the Sections 64(1) and 64(5) of the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981.
On 09.08.2024, the Supreme Court determined that the Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s (SJB) decision to expel Galle District Member of Parliament Hon. Manusha Nanayakkara and the National List Member of Parliament Hon. Harin Fernando from the party is legally valid. As a result, two Parliamentary seats have become vacant.
The Supreme Court has given this judgment dismissing the petitions filed by the Minister Harin Fernando and Minister Manusha Nanayakkkara to challege the SJB’s decision to remove them from their party membership.
The Acting General Secretary of Parliament has notified the Election Commission that two parliamentary seats in the Ninth Parliament have become vacant on 9th August 2024 due to the cancellation of seats of Members of Parliament Manusha Nanayakkara and Harin Fernando. This follows a Supreme Court ruling that the expulsion of these MPs from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party is legally valid. The Supreme Court dismissed petitions filed by the ministers to challenge their removal from the party, leading to the vacating of the parliamentary seats. This notification was made in accordance with the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981.
