Ranjan Ramanayake’s candidacy at General Election challenged in court

• Petitioner alleges that Ranjan Ramanayake was  convicted on charges of contempt of court and imprisoned

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda 

A Fundamental Rights petition has been filed in the Supreme  Court seeking an order preventing Ranjan Ramanayake from contesting the  parliamentary election scheduled for November 14.  

Mahinda Senanayake, an Independent Candidate contesting the General Election from Gampaha District filed this petition challenging the Election Commission’s decision to accept nomination paper given by  Ranjan Ramanayake to contest the upcoming General Election from Gampaha  District.  

The petitioner alleged that Ranjan Ramanayake is  disqualified to be elected as a member of Parliament since he was  convicted by a three-member bench of the Supreme Court on January 12,  2021, on charges of contempt of court and sentenced to four years of  rigorous imprisonment.    This petition had been filed through Attorney-at-law Sampath Wijewardene.