UPDATE : Gotabhaya's dual citizenship case postponed until tomorrow

Update : Hearing of the writ petition challenging the dual citizenship of Presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa has been postponed until tomorrow (Oct 2) by the Appeal Court.

Lawyers appearing for Rajapaksa filed preliminary objections questioning the jurisdiction to hear the case when a police investigation into the matter is still underway.

The Criminal Investigations Department had previously told court that the Immigration Department had informed that dual citizenship matters had been handled by the Defence Ministry in 2005.

Accordingly, the petitioners argued that the certificate confirming the dual citizenship of Rajapaksa is invalid since it had been issued when a cabinet of ministers had not been functioning.

However, the Attorney General's Department, making submissions to court had said that the President is authorised to handle the affairs of any ministry when a cabinet is not functioning.

Meanwhile, the Immigration Department informed court that there were no documents to confirm the dual citizenship of Rajapaksa.

The case is being heard before a judge bench comprising Appeal Court President Yasantha Kodagoda, Arjuna Obeysekera, and Mahinda Samayawardana.

No documents on Gotabhaya's dual citizenship ; Immigration Chief tells court

The Appeal Court today (Oct 2) heard that documents concerning the dual citizenship of Presidential candidate Gotabhaya Rajapaksa were unavailable.

These remarks were made by Senior Deputy Solicitor General Neril Pulle who appeared for the Controller General of the Immigration and Emigration Department.

President's Counsel Romesh de Silva appearing for Rajapaksa argued that these documents had been destroyed by the Immigration Department.

However, the Senior Deputy Solicitor General countered the argument saying that documents had not been destroyed despite setting up a computerised system at the Department in 2007.

The case is being heard before a judge bench comprising Appeal Court President Yasantha Kodagoda, Arjuna Obeysekera, and Mahinda Samayawardana.