The shameless attempt by the government to use the Speaker to abolish the seat of Ranjan Ramanayake has been seen over the past period. The government carried out this act despite allowing the death sentence of Primalal Jayasekara, a Member of Parliament who was sentenced to death on murder charges, to tarnish the entire parliamentary history. The swearing in was reported in the headlines of foreign media and the world was well aware of the extent of Sri Lanka’s patriotism. The swearing-in was a major event that revealed the shameless nature of the Speaker. The Speaker could have acted by approving the leave of MP Ranjan Ramanayake, who is serving a sentence without any opportunity to appeal, without revoking his seat. But he was not so active.
The ICCPR Act, passed by the Parliament of Sri Lanka itself, clearly states that the right to appeal is guaranteed in every case. Accordingly, MP Ranjan Ramanayake has been deprived of his right to appeal under the provisions of the ICCPR Act. What the Speaker should have done with dignity was to propose and lead Parliament to establish an organized legal framework for contempt of court while protecting the seat of Ranjan Ramanayake. Such a move can never be expected from the current speaker or the government.
