A petition has been filed with the Court of Appeal seeking an order to revoke the position of Minister of Public Security held by Ananda Wijepala and to disqualify him from serving as a Member of Parliament. The petition was submitted by Renuka Perera, the Governing Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP). The petition names Minister Ananda Wijepala, the Secretary General of Parliament, and the Attorney General as respondents.
The petitioner claims that the President appointed Ananda Wijepala as the Minister of Public Security on November 18. However, it later came to light that the Sunday Times newspaper, in its December 19 edition, reported that Ananda Wijepala had also been appointed as the President’s Chief of Staff. The petitioner, seeking official confirmation of this report, submitted a request under the Right to Information (RTI) Act. The response to this request confirmed that Ananda Wijepala was indeed appointed to the position of Chief of Staff to the President while simultaneously serving as a Member of Parliament.
According to the arguments presented in the petition, Article 91 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka states that a person engaged in public service is not eligible to sit in Parliament or vote. The petitioner argues that the position of Chief of Staff to the President is classified as a public service role and, therefore, an individual holding such a position is constitutionally ineligible to serve as a Member of Parliament. By holding both positions, Ananda Wijepala is in direct violation of the constitutional provisions that govern eligibility for parliamentary membership.
Based on this legal argument, the petitioner has urged the Court of Appeal to issue a ruling declaring that Ananda Wijepala is disqualified from serving as a Member of Parliament. The petition also calls for a formal decision requiring him to vacate his parliamentary seat due to his ineligibility. Additionally, the petitioner has requested that an interim injunction be issued to prevent Ananda Wijepala from attending parliamentary sessions and participating in votes until the case is heard and a final decision is reached.
In addition to seeking his disqualification from Parliament, the petition also challenges his eligibility to serve as Minister of Public Security. It requests an interim injunction preventing him from carrying out the duties of the ministerial position until the matter is fully resolved. The legal challenge has sparked significant public and political interest, as it raises important questions about constitutional law, the separation of powers, and the ethical boundaries of holding multiple public offices simultaneously. The Court of Appeal is expected to review the case and make a decision on the interim relief sought in the coming weeks.
