Dhammika Perera sworn in as MP

COLOMBO: Business magnate Dhammika Perera took oath as a Member of Parliament before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena.

The parliamentary session commenced at 10.00 a.m.

Perera’s name was proposed to the Election Commission to fill the National List parliamentary seat vacated by the resignation of former Finance Minister Basil Rajapaksa.

Accordingly, the election body gazetted his name on June 10, as a Member of Parliament from Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP).

Dhammika Perera also obtained the membership of SLPP from the party’s general secretary after officially submitting his consent to accept parliamentary membership.

He has stepped down from the board memberships of all his companies ahead of taking oaths as a Member of Parliament.

Further, the business tycoon is tipped to take up a ministerial portfolio related to the investment sector after entering the parliament through the SLPP.

On June 09, a special gazette notification was published by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, creating two new portfolios titled Minister of Technology and Investment Promotion and Minister of Women, Child Affairs & Social Empowerment.

A total of 15 departments, statutory institutions and public corporations including the Department of Immigration and Emigration, Telecommunication Regulatory Commission of Sri Lanka (TRCSL), Department of Registration of Persons and Board of Investment have been listed under the Ministry of Technology and Investment Promotion.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court yesterday rejected granting leave to proceed with the five fundamental rights (FR) petitions challenging the appointment of Dhammika Perera as a Member of Parliament.