Judgement in citizenship case against Diana Gamage postponed

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda

The Court of Appeal yesterday postponed for July 25 to deliver its judgement regarding the writ petition filed seeking an order declaring State Minister of Tourism Diana Gamage is not qualified to be a Member of Parliament since she is a British citizen.

The judgement regarding this petition was to be delivered yesterday (6). However, the Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justice (President) Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice M.A.R. Marikkar announced that the judgement regarding this petition would be delivered on July 25.

Social activist Oshala Herath filed this petition seeking an order in the nature of a Writ of Quo Warranto declaring that Diana Gamage is disqualified to be a Member of Parliament and is thus not entitled to hold office as an MP.

In this case, the petitioner claimed that State Minister Diana Gamage is a British citizen and only a British citizen can hold a British Passport. The petitioner maintained that by virtue of becoming a citizen of another country, Parliamentarian Diana Gamage ceased to be a Sri Lankan citizen. The petitioner said Diana Gamage has not obtained dual citizenship or any other form of citizenship in Sri Lanka.

The petitioner further said Diana Gamage is disqualified from election as an MP or to sit and vote in Parliament under and in terms of Article 91 read with Article 89 and Article 90 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka.       

• The petitioner maintained that by virtue of becoming a citizen of another country, Parliamentarian Diana Gamage ceased to be a Sri Lankan citizen