The Court of Appeal today decided not to continue case proceedings against President Ranil Wickremesinghe in a writ petition filed by General Secretary Nagananda Kodituwakku.
Kodituwakku had filed this writ petition challenging Litro Gas Company’s decision to purchase domestic LP Gas for a higher bid. The Litro Gas Lanka Ltd., its Chairman, President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Advisor to the President Sagala Ratnayake, Siam Gas Trading Pvt Ltd., and several others had been named as respondents to this petition.
The Court of Appeal’s two-judge bench, comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and C.P. Kirtisinghe, held that the proceedings against the president cannot be maintained in this court while he holds the post of President of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka.
It is abundantly clear that while President Wickemesinghe holds the high office of executive head of state, there is an absolute immunity conferred on him by the constitution, and the same has been established by legal precedent, Justice Corea observed.
The Attorney General had raised preliminary objections challenging the maintainability of the petition in terms of Article 35 (1) of the Constitution, which grants immunity to the President from any proceedings.
