Sri Lanka temporarily bars Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as PM

Colombo, Sri Lanka – A Sri Lankan court has barred former President Mahinda Rajapaksa from acting as prime minister as it hears a petition challenging his refusal to step down despite losing two no-confidence motions last month.

Judge Preethipadhman Surasena issued the stay order on Monday, saying “irreversible damage could be caused” if Rajapaksa and ministers of his cabinet continued to hold office.

He said the Court of Appeal will sit again on December 12 to deliver a verdict in the petition filed by a majority of Sri Lanka‘s legislators.

Some 122 legislators in the 225-member House voted to remove Rajapaksa on November 14 and 18, after denouncing his appointment as prime minister “unconstitutional”.

But the former president rejected the outcome of the ballots, claiming the speaker had failed to follow proper procedure by holding voice votes, prompting legislators to ask for court intervention. 

Sri Lanka has been in crisis since President Maithripala Sirisena’s October 26 decision to name Rajapaksa to replace then-Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

When Rajapaksa failed to show a majority in parliament, Sirisena attempted to dissolve the House altogether and ordered elections for January, but the Supreme Court temporarily blocked the president’s moves and allowed parliament to reconvene. 

The court is expected to deliver a verdict in the case on December 7.

The parliament last week also voted to halt payment of ministers’ salaries and travel expenses. 

‘Justice has prevailed’

There was no immediate comment from Rajapaksa. 

Wickremesinghe hailed Monday’s decision in a Twitter post, saying the “triumph of democratic institutions over the whims of indivduals” was the legacy of his government’s good governance agenda. 

Sagala Ratnayake, member of Wickremesinghe’s United National Party (UNP), welcomed the court’s move, saying “justice has prevailed”. 

The legislator added: “The fake prime minister and his purported government have been thrown out of office by the judiciary. The Court of Appeal has protected parliamentary democracy from an illegal government.”

Meanwhile, many Sri Lankans took to social media to celebrate the court’s decision. 

Saliya Peiris, who heads a commission to trace the tens of thousands of people who went missing during Sri Lanka’s 26-year-war with Tamil separatists, said the stay order on Monday “was a proud moment for all those who value the Rule of Law and the independence of the judiciary” in Sri Lanka. 

The last several weeks has seen a vibrant judiciary in action-not only the higher courts but also the original courts- in public law cases as well as criminal cases. It is a proud moment for all those who value the Rule of Law and the Independence of the Judiciary in our country

— Saliya Pieris (@saliyapieris) December 3, 2018