The Appeal Court today (Oct 15) ruled that former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, prior to the implementation of the19th amendment, could oversee ministries where ministers were yet to take over functions.
A three-member judge bench issued this ruling while delivering the final verdict to reject the petition filed against the dual citizenship certificate of Presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa this month.
Two civil activists, petitioned court arguing that the certificate had been issued by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in 2005 when a cabinet of ministers was not functioning.
They said that citizenship matters had been handled by the Defence Ministry at that time.
However, the Appeal Court ruled that Rajapaksa was legally vested with the powers to issue dual citizenship certificates in the absence of a Defence minister in 2005.
Further, the judge bench had held that another reason to reject the petition was the failure by the petitioners to name the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) of which Rajapaksa is a presidential candidate, as a respondent to the petition.
The full verdict can be viewed here
All Ceylon Makkal Congress MP Ali Sabri Raheem had been arrested by Kalpitiya police after he surrendered to the police today morning.
An interim order prohibiting Deshabandu Tennakoon from carrying out his duties as Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been issued by the Supreme Court.
The Presidential election will be held on September 21, the Commission of Elections has decided.
The former leader of the New Sama Samaja Party (NSSP) and the New Left Front and well-known figure in left-wing politics in Sri Lanka, Dr. Wickramabahu Karunaratne, passed away at the age of 81.
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