The writ application filed in the Court of Appeal challenging the legal validity of Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s Sri Lankan citizenship has thrown a spanner in the works of his presidential campaign, with the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna in crisis talks to find an alternative in the event the former Defence Secretary is disqualified from contesting the November 16th election.
On Monday night party leaders in the SLPP led alliance met at Opposition Leader Mahinda Rajapaksa’s Wijerama Mawatha residence for talks about how the party will face the latest legal challenge posed on Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s candidacy. Sources told Colombo Telegraph that the SLPP was mulling fielding former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa in Gotabaya’s stead, if the court ruling goes against the former Defence Secretary.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Civil Society Activists Gamini Viyangoda and Chandraguptha Thenuwara filed the writ application last Friday, contesting Rajapaksa’s dual citizenship certificated allegedly issued on 21 November 2005 as a legally valid document. The petition argues that a person who is not a Sri Lankan citizen cannot contest to be president of Sri Lanka.
The petition which will be heard by a three judge bench of the Court of Appeal led by President of the Court Justice Yasantha Kodagoda
The two other judges set to hear the petition are Justices Arjuna Obeysekera and Mahinda Samayawardane. The petitioners are seeking to suspend the operation of Rajapaksa’s dual citizenship certificate since they submit it has been obtained illegally. The petition is also seeking to stop Gotabaya Rajapaksa or his agents from claiming he is a citizen of Sri Lanka. If upheld the petition could disqualify Rajapaksa from contesting in the 16 November presidential election.
The writ application is based on startling revelations in a CID B report filed at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on 26 September (Thursday) which contained nearly a hundred pages of annexed documents supporting the agency’s findings. The CID told the Chief Magistrate that Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s dual citizenship file was not available at any one of the ministries or departments it should have been in. Statements from the Department of Immigration and Ministry of Defence said the files were not in their position. The CID has been unable to trace an application for dual citizenship filed by Gotabaya Rajapaksa in 2005.
However Colombo Telegraph learns that all dual citizenship files are in the custody of the Department of Immigration and Emigration, even though Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s entire file is missing.
Making matters worse Rajapaksa’s dual citizenship certificate number 15305 is assigned to another individual, the CID investigation found.
The SLPP scrambling to defend Rajapaksa after the petition was fixed for support on Wednesday and Thursday at the Court of Appeal released the former Defence Secretary’s purported Dual Citizenship certificate on Twitter yesterday. The disclosure led to even more questions.
In October 2016 Gotabaya Rajapaksa submitted his dual citizenship certificate to the Registration of Persons Department when he was applying for a new National ID. The certificate submitted by Rajapaksa himself as part of his NIC application bears the certificate number 15305A. However the certificate published on Twitter by SLPP politico Kanchana Wijesekera bore the number 15305. It is unclear which certificate has been doctored to include or delete the “A”.
Amid all the uncertainty Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s lawyers today applied for his passport that is currently in the custody of the Permanent High Court at Bar in Colombo where he is on trial for criminal misappropriation of Rs 33.9 million to build a memorial for his parents in Hambantota. His lawyers told court that Rajapaksa needed his passport returned to seek medical treatment in Singapore from 9th to 13th October.
However the Attorney General told court in reply to the motion by Rajapaksa’s lawyers that they had no objections to the 1st accused seeking to go overseas but would require his counsel to present the relevant documentation to court before the order was considered. Judges at the permanent high court put off giving an order until 3rd October.
Political circles were buzzing with speculation that Rajapaksa was trying to get his passport out of the court in order to ensure he could rush out of the country in the event the Court of Appeal ruling goes against him this week. An adverse ruling would end his presidential hopes since nominations must be filed by 7th October. Rajapaksa may have sought to keep his passport handy in order to leave the country in a rush if necessary, sources told Colombo Telegraph, especially since the petition was seeking to suspend the operation of his travel document and NIC as part of the interim relief prayed for. “The eleventh hour court case has really set the cat among the pigeons in the SLPP camp and the Gotabaya campaign team,” a politically well placed source told Colombo Telegraph. “If it goes well, maybe Gotabaya will be president. If it goes badly, he will be a man without a country,” the source added.
Yogi orignal / October 2, 2019
The problem is when people make up their minds and refuse to listen.
Every man has his slot in the Universe .
I have time and again stressed this is Sajith Premadasa’s Winning Presidential ticket .
It would have been more sensible for MR not allow to be used by Wimalay mutapala & his 10% collector Singala hora thamby,Thompson& Thompson ,( SB the seeni bola & dilan de Bibikam), and capt.Hadock ( Dried pumkin) & dump professor caliculas , instead he should have watched the out come of The Presidential Election and prepared for general election.
It seems he has been taken for ride once again.
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Radica Ideas / October 3, 2019
This is POETIC JUSTICE to GOTA the Psychopathic Mass Murdering imbecile. The GOVIGAMA RULING ELITE MAFIA Inc., and its members who are embedded in every political, religious, social, private and state entities have tried their level best to push this Master Criminal to the Presidency. Because, the Govi Mafiosi want to keep the controls of the state within their realm. The recent past have become such an amazing time, many of the Govigama deceptions have got exposed due to their Over Playing exceeding the limits of normal human decency and tolerance. We were able to see, Sira, the Govi Mafia member who was elected by the majority of critical thinking people at a time when they could not tolerate the utter corruptions and killings of Rajapakse controls of the state. Then Sira betrayed all of them, by deceptively joining hands with the very same enemies who drove the country to the dogs. Sira tried to dismantle the very same UNP govt, that brought him the preside.
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Radical Ideas / October 3, 2019
… the presidency (typo corrected)
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Lex Regal / October 2, 2019
Today’s (2 October) proceedings at the Appeals Court will put an end to this nonsense of Litro Viyangoda,
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AG’s department expertly pointed out that under s40(2) of the constitution that was in place in 2005, the president had signed GR’s dual citizenship under plenary powers vested on him under 40(2). The matter should end there.
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The bigger issue is, the vandalising of the constitution by s19 (Ranil’s insurance against being sacked again) has now removed these powers and the country is without a leadership.
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The current ‘pissige pala malla’ type situation was brought on by this nonsense people like Viangoda put in place.
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Woe unto them.
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Palitha / October 3, 2019
As usual foolish Lankans will like to have American as Defence Sec and President. Thanks to traitors like Weerawanse and Gamanpila . Wont be surprised if Donald Trump becomes President of Sri Lanka
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Dilkie / October 3, 2019
Gota has to prove to EC Deshapriya he has Certificate Of Renunciation from US State Department on the morning of the 7th.
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A Government with cold feet / October 2, 2019
J.R.Was the only Politician who taught The Strickers a lesson .
This government has no gutts .The poor is always at the recieving end.
Why cant they bring foreign engine drivers or getting the Army officers or esp Our Navy to take over .
See how MR handled the protestors in the past ??
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Tamil from the north / October 2, 2019
We should send this murderer to Switzerland and have his head checked too. He is a maniac!
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Green path looker / October 2, 2019
Pls Mr.Gotabaya Rajapaksha
Could you pls reveal how do you managed to get US citizenship for you and your family,
We lot of us eager to get to be in US like you.children can have stable future.here minorities are harassing day to day life.they are destroying our god gift Buddhism,our prez doing tremendous job to safeguard our religion,he pardoned your loyal Thero,
When you won hope you work with the thero and should be seen Buddha’s statues all comers of the land that’s the urgency in the agenda.
Sadu sadu sadu
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anon69 / October 3, 2019
Last 50 days or so it was Who is running for President from UNP?
Now it is who is running for president from SLPP and SLFP?
After the election same politicos will be wearing different Thoppi.
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anon69 / October 3, 2019
The question is can a US Citizen carry out all these Hora pass port and Hora ID card jugglery in USA? They will be in Prison for considerable amount if time. Prison because it is a Federal offense.
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Pon Kulendiren / October 3, 2019
Gota is like the crook Soundrnayagam who was involved in many scandals Shirnee is witing to get nominated by SLPP for hr PREX. candidate. The aim is o mke decisions in the Bedroom
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D.Nimal / October 3, 2019
What ever said and done the political differences of line of policies of Democratic solutions between Gotabaya Rajapakase of SLPP of Presidential candidature and set of few UNP leader of Ranil Wickransighe clan of has gone far extent of by that seeking legitimacy of GR citizens has reached Judiciary Leval by suddenly ?
Why is that so soon ? The key matter is so unexpected an urgency that seems to be GR in track in progress of successful for Presidential race …2020.
Needless to say urgency derived from that by UNP is asking Judiciary to intervention of disqualified GR incoming Presidential Candidacy before 7th of October 2019 ! by that vital INTEREST of $$$.
That could by taken into account to challenge GR citizenship of Sri lanka,while which that back by Two of NGO persons are in politically-motivated act of covered operation is of UNP are an undeniably a shameful !
By and large that UNP-Led by RW misgoverns and failure delivered only that produce Chaos and Instability remain nothing other than majority of citizens of Islanders are seeking that New Path of Development of Democracy by incoming Presidential elections ?.
We can forget misdeeds of UNP that rest of matter of People choice currently looking that foul played by UNP leaders . The crux issue is not confined to that GR only ?
My point of view that UNP is bargain of RIGHT of People Sovereignty and their Democratic choice ?
I always support for that the Right of Voters which is Fundamental Right of People and citizens of Sri Lankan.
I not that follower of GR or MR or RW or MS or CBK lines of Politics that disorder of Democracy Republic by UNP leadership .
I stand for revitalization of Democrat system of Governance by interest of whole People of an Island as well as world!
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Thondamany / October 3, 2019
All what you get in here is mud and thrash.
People, keep your immotions to yourselves get involved in a useful
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Siva / October 3, 2019
Not even 5 years old Pohottuwa swept through in the most recent election. Given the chaos and hardships in the country Sajith must put forward a clear plan while discarding the old baggage of RW, Yahapalanaya, Sirisena etc. to win. Can he do it?
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K.A. Lingam / October 3, 2019
When Gota goes to S’poor he would do the vanishing trick like Aruguna Mahaenduran! to escape all his political mess up in Sri Lanka.
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Renu / October 3, 2019
Look at sequence of events and the manipulation and the people involved. This is what was taking place when people are in power. One must also realise that no one is above the law, and as a Buddhist should know that Karmic forces will act onwrong doers
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jehan / October 4, 2019
he is having a rally in singapore. tell bbs to go.
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