(COLOMBO) – A contempt of court case filed against former Sri Lankan Sports Minister Roshan Ranasinghe is not correct as legal action cannot be taken against an MP for remarks made in Parliament, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said on Thursday.
The Speaker was responding to a query raised by main Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in Parliament.
“It is clear that no one can sue an MP for comments he makes in the House,” the Speaker said.
“Let the judiciary handle the contempt of court case and give a verdict,” he said at the same time.
Sajith Premadasa, who referred to 3 and 4 of the Parliamentary Privileges Act said an MP cannot be sued or arrested for remarks made in Parliament.
Ranasinghe slighted a court bench earlier this month that suspended an Interim Committee for Sri Lanka Cricket that was formulated by him.
Ranasinghe was the then Sport Minister when the court ruling was made.
A petition was filed by Attorney-at-Law Dimitri Shiraz Augustus Pietrangeli earlier this week alleging that the recent statement made by the former Minister in Parliament was prejudicial to the President of the Appeals Court, his career and character.
The petitioner said as per the parliamentary tradition, such statements cannot be made regarding judges of the country’s top court.
