DILAN PERERA
v.
RAJITHA SENARATNE
C O U R T O F APPEAL.
Y A P A , J.
D E . S IL V A , J .
C A 1164/98.
16™, 2 8 th, 2 9 th, 3 0 th S E P T E M B E R , 1 9 9 9 .
0 6 ™ . 11™ , 2 5 ™ , 2 6 ™ O C T O B E R , 1 9 9 9 .
04 ™ N O V E M B E R , 1999.
10™ D E C E M B E R , 1 9 9 9 .
Constitution, Articles 66(d), 89, 90, 91(l)(e), 101(l)(c), 171 - Member
o f Parliament - Contracts with Government Institutions and Public
Corporations - Is he disqualified - Right to hold office as a Member o f
Parliament - Is the appointment void - Donoughmore Constitution - Soulbury
Constitution - Article 13(3)(c) -1972 Constitution Articles 12(1), S.70(l)(d)
S. 73(f) - Ceylon (Parliamentary Elections) Order in Council 1946, S. 77(e) Act, No. 44 o f 1980 - Act, No. 1 o f 1981 - Delay - Continuing offence.
The
P e tit io n e r
a
M em ber
of
P a r lia m e n t ,
c o m p la in e d
th a t
th e
1st R e s p o n d e n t w h o is a ls o a M e m b e r o f P a r lia m e n t , n o m in a t e d fr o m th e
N a t i o n a l List,
h a s e n te re d
in to v a r i o u s c o n t r a c t s w it h
G overn m en t
in s t it u t io n s - a s a p a r t n e r a n d a D ir e c t o r to s u p p l y D e n t a l E q u i p m e n t
a n d th e r e fo r e is d is q u a lif i e d u n d e r A r t ic le 9 1 ( l ) ( e ) o f th e C o n s t it u t io n ,
a n d s o u g h t a d e c la r a t io n t h a t t h e 1st R e s p o n d e n t h a s n o r ig h t to h o ld
o ffic e a s a M e m b e r o f P a r li a m e n t (M .P .) a n d t h a t h is a p p o i n t m e n t is v o id .
It is th e p o s it io n o f th e P e t it io n e r t h a t th e l 91 R e s p o n d e n t w h i ls t h o ld i n g
th e o ffic e o f a M .P . is c a r r y i n g o n a p a r t n e r s h i p b u s i n e s s u n d e r th e n a m e
a n d s ty le o f M / s S e n a r a t n e D e n t a l S u p p l i e r s e n g a g e d in th e b u s i n e s s o f
im p o r t in g a n d d i s t r i b u t i n g d e n t a l e q u i p m e n t a n d m a t e r ia l.
It w a s c o n t e n d e d b y th e l 31 R e s p o n d e n t t h a t in a n y e v e n t a s th e r e is n o
l a w p r o h ib i t i n g a M .P . fr o m e n t e r i n g in to c o n t r a c t s w it h a n y G o v e r n m e n t
in s t it u t io n , th e re w a s n o p o s s ib ilit y o f t a k in g a c t io n a g a i n s t th e
1st
R e s p o n d e n t in r e s p e c t o f th e a lle g e d c o n t r a c t s .
Held :
(1 )
P a r li a m e n t h a s
n o t p r e s c r ib e d
th e
la w
n e c e ssa ry
u n d e r A r t ic le
9 1( l ) ( e ) t h a t w ill p r o v id e f o r th e d is q u a lif i c a t io n o f a p e r s o n to b e e le c t e d