Ranjan Ramanayaka vs. Secretary General of Parliament and Another – sllr 2021 volume 1 page 373

In the case between Ranjan Ramanayaka (Plaintiff) and the Secretary General of Parliament and Another (Defendants), the court addressed whether a conviction for contempt of court—resulting in a four-year imprisonment imposed by the Supreme Court—results in the disqualification of a sitting Member of Parliament under Article 89(d), read with Articles 91 and 66 of the Constitution. It was held that such a conviction does trigger the statutory disqualification, emphasizing the principle that the Secretary General’s act of informing the Election Commission is a ministerial duty, not subject to judicial prohibition. Reference was made to relevant constitutional provisions and statutory interpretation, concluding that the provisions operate strictly on the facts of conviction and sentencing. As