A dramatic writ petition by a suspended Deputy Secretary General challenges the authority of the Speaker, alleges abuse of power, and exposes an unprecedented institutional confrontation inside Sri Lanka’s Parliament.
Chaminda Kularatne, a suspended lawyer who served as Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of the Sri Lankan Parliament, has filed a writ petition before the Court of Appeal under case number CA Writ 109/2026. The petition names Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, his private secretary Chameera Gallage, and retired Additional Secretary S.K. Liyanage as respondents, marking a rare public legal battle within the highest legislative institution.
In his petition, Kularatne asserts that his recruitment and appointment were conducted lawfully and transparently. He states that he fulfilled all educational and professional qualifications required under the relevant gazette notification and obtained the highest marks at interview. No prior objections had been raised regarding his suitability for the post, he claims, challenging the basis of his suspension.
The filing further argues that under the Pension Code, Establishments Code, Cabinet decisions, the Parliamentary Staff Act No. 9 of 1953, and the Public Service Provident Fund Ordinance No. 18 of 1942, he is legally entitled to combine his previous service as Secretary to the Office of the Chief Organiser of the Government Party with his subsequent service in Parliament for pension calculation. The petition frames this as a statutory right that cannot be arbitrarily denied.
Central to the dispute is the allegation that the Speaker unlawfully appointed S.K. Liyanage to conduct an investigation into Kularatne. According to the petition, Liyanage was not legally qualified for such an appointment. The petitioner contends that the investigation stemmed from an incident in the Speaker’s private dining room on 18 June 2025 and from Kularatne’s reported objections to what he describes as alleged illegal and corrupt practices.
The petition also requests that the Court call for a report prepared by the Secretary General of Parliament concerning the alleged disclosure of sensitive information to outside parties. Kularatne maintains that the Speaker improperly assumed powers belonging to the Secretary General and that the investigation report was prepared on false and malicious grounds, contrary to principles of natural justice.
He argues that his suspension, based on what he describes as an unlawful and biased report, should be declared null and void. A panel of lawyers, including President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena, is scheduled to appear on his behalf.
Kularatne has previously lodged a complaint with the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption alleging eight instances of misconduct by the Speaker. Observers note that this marks the first time a Deputy Secretary General has challenged a sitting Speaker in both court and before an anti corruption body, raising significant constitutional and governance questions.
