COLOMBO ; The Parliament has informed the National Election Commission in a letter dated Oct.9 that a Sri Lanka Muslim Congress Parliament seat has fallen vacant following the Supreme Court upheld the expulsion of SLMC member Naseer Ahaned from the membership,
The National Election Commission said the Parliament seat is vacant following the expulsion of Naseer Ahamed from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress.
Accordingly, the Batticaloa District Returning Officer will inform the National Election Commission of the suitable candidate to fill the vacant seat.
The National Election Commission said it will be announced through a Gazette once the candidate is nominated.
According to SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem, “obviously, the seat will be filled by the next man on the SLMC list that is Ali Zahir Mowlan who has been a state minister before.”
This development follows a significant Supreme Court ruling last week, which upheld the validity of his expulsion from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).
In April 2022, the SLMC made the decision to expel Naseer Ahamed from the party after he changed his political affiliation and was subsequently sworn in as the Environment Minister in the Gotabaya Rajapaksa-led Government.