MP Archchuna gets more time in Parliament as legal battle delayed

The Court of Appeal has postponed the resumption of arguments in the Quo Warranto application challenging the eligibility of Jaffna District MP Archchuna Ramanathan to remain a Member of Parliament until December 16, 2026.

The case was taken up on Monday (October 12), but arguments could not resume as the bench scheduled to hear the matter was not properly constituted.

Archchuna’s newly appointed registered attorney, Kaushalya Narendran, also informed the court that the MP intended to retain new counsel.

Accordingly, the case was fixed for the resumption of arguments on December 16 before a bench comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Mahen Gopallawa.

Attorney Senani Dayaratne, who previously represented Archchuna, will no longer appear on his behalf.

Attorneys N.K. Ashokbharan and Shenal Fernando appeared for petitioner Oshala Herath.

The Quo Warranto application was filed by Oshala Herath, challenging Archchuna’s eligibility to serve in Parliament on the grounds that he allegedly remained a government medical officer when he submitted his nomination papers for the 2024 General Election.

The petitioner argues that Archchuna was disqualified from contesting the election under constitutional provisions restricting public officers from being elected to Parliament while holding government office.

However, Archchuna’s legal representatives have previously argued that he had been interdicted from his medical position without pay and therefore should not be considered a public officer for the purpose of the disqualification.

During earlier proceedings, the question of whether Archchuna continued to hold public office at the time of submitting nominations emerged as a central issue in the case.

The petitioner is seeking a Writ of Quo Warranto declaring that Archchuna is not legally entitled to hold his parliamentary seat.

Archchuna has on several occasions made remarks in Parliament suggesting that he may not remain a Member of Parliament for long, apparently referring to the ongoing legal challenge to his eligibility.

With the case now postponed until December 16, Archchuna can continue serving as an MP while the proceedings remain pending, unless a court orders otherwise. The postponement effectively gives him more time in Parliament before arguments resume, although the final outcome remains uncertain.

A Writ of Quo Warranto is a legal mechanism used to challenge an individual’s authority to hold public office.

The Court of Appeal has yet to deliver a final determination on the petition. (Newswire)

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