- Activist Oshala Herath’s perseverance finally pays off
- Diana Gamage’s claims of SJB Party ownership may also now cause havoc in political scene
- Will this Supreme Court ruling see other SJB voted in and National List MP’s also being thrown out of parliament?
Barely 24 hours ago the State Minister for Tourism and Member of Parliament Diana Gamage was caught on audio tape expressing her fear regarding the ruling that was made barely an hour ago by the three-bench group of Supreme Court Judges who all ruled that she was ineligible to hold on to her parliamentary seat.
Yesterday, Diana Gamage who appeared rather disturbed was heard speaking to a man in the vernacular and when translated to English meant “More than you I am under great stress because this case is a big problem for me. I need to save myself from this case and am trying to find a solution”
Today, a three-judge bench reached a crucial decision in Sri Lankan politics, ruling that State Minister Diana Gamage is ineligible to serve as a Member of Parliament due to her British citizenship. The verdict came after a writ petition filed by civil activist Oshala Herath was considered, which challenged Gamage’s right to hold a parliamentary seat.
Herath’s petition claimed that Gamage’s status as a British national renders her unqualified under Sri Lankan law, which requires MPs to hold solely Sri Lankan citizenship. The judges’ unanimous decision upholds this view, highlighting the constitutional mandate that bars dual citizens from parliamentary roles.
This landmark ruling not only affirms the legal standards that govern eligibility for parliamentary service but also sets a precedent that could influence future cases involving other dual-citizenship holding parliamentarians. The decision is seen as a significant moment for upholding the integrity of Sri Lankan legislative qualifications and may prompt further scrutiny of lawmakers’ citizenship statuses.
