After the adaptation of the 19th Amendment to the constitution, dual citizens will not be able to contest elections.

Gota

The 19th Amendment added a new sub-paragraph to the paragraph “Disqualification for election as Member of Parliament” in the Article 91 of the constitution.

After the amendment “No person shall be qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament or to sit and vote in Parliament if he is “a citizen of Sri Lanka who is also a citizen of any other country’.”

In an interview with Sri Lanka Mirror two weeks ago, dual citizen former secretary to the ministry of defence Gotabaya Rajapaksa, said although he initially did not have any intention of entering politics, he feels as if various reasons have pushed him into deciding otherwise. “So if I get a chance to contest, I will,” he said while adding that he has not chosen a political party to contest yet.

The 19th Amendment disqualifies Gotabaya from contesting any elections, unless he has given away his American citizenship.

Article 91 before the amendment;

91. No person shall be qualified to be elected as a Member of Parliament or to sit and vote in Parliament –
(a) if he is or becomes subject to any of the disqualifications specified in Article 89 ;
(b) if he –
(i) stands nominated as a candidate for election for more than one electoral district at a General Election,
(ii) stands nominated as a candidate for election by more than one recognized political party or independent group in respect of any electoral district,
(iii) stands nominated as a candidate for election for an electoral district and before the conclusion of the election for that electoral district he stands nominated as a candidate for election for any other electoral district, or
(iv) being a Member of Parliament, except in the circumstances referred to in Article 70 (7) or Article 155 (4) (i), stands nominated as a candidate for election for any electoral district ;
(c) if he is the President of the Republic;
(d) if he is –
(i) a judicial officer,
(ii) the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration,
(iii) the Secretary-General of Parliament or a member of his staff,
(iv) a member of the Public Service Commission,
(v) the Commissioner of Elections,
(vi) the Auditor-General,
22[(vii) a public officer holding any office created prior to November 18, 1970, the initial of the salary scale of which was, on November 18, 1970, not less than Rs. 6,720 per annum, or such other amount per annum as would, under any subsequent revision of salary scales, correspond to such initial,
(viii) a public officer holding any office created after November 18, 1970, the initial of the salary scale of which is, on the date of the creation of that office, not less than the initial of the salary scale applicable, on that date, to an office referred to in item (vii) or such other amount per annum as would, under any subsequent revision of salary scales, correspond to the first-mentioned initial,
(ix) an officer in any public corporation holding any office created prior to November 18, 1970, the initial of the salary scale of which was, on November 18, 1970, not less than Rs. 7,200 per annum or such other amount per annum as would, under any subsequent revision of salary scales, correspond to such initial,
(x) an officer in any public corporation holding any office created after November 18, 1970, the initial of the salary scale of which is, on the date of creation of that office, not less than the initial of the salary scale applicable on that date to an office referred to in item (ix) or such other amount per annum as would, under any subsequent revision of salary scales, correspond to the first mentioned initial,
(xi) a member of the Regular Force of the Army, Navy or Air Force, or
(xii) a police officer or a public officer exercising police functions;]
(e) if he has any such interest in any such contract made by or on behalf of the State or a public corporation as Parliament shall by law prescribe ;
(f) if he is an undischarged bankrupt or insolvent, having been declared bankrupt or insolvent ;
(g) if during the preceding seven years he has been adjudged by a competent court or by a Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry to have accepted a bribe or gratification offered with a view to influencing his judgment as a Member of Parliament or as a member of the legislature prior to the commencement of the Constitution.
(2) For the purposes of sub-paragraph (g) of paragraph (1) of this Article, the acceptance by a Member of Parliament of any allowance or other payment made to him by any trade union or other organization solely for the purpose of his maintenance shall be deemed not to be the acceptance of a bribe or gratification.

The new amendment;