EC informed of vacant Parliament seat

• Parliament SG informs EC vacancy created by demise of Ratnapara UPFA MP Soysa
• Next highest preferential voter taker has joined UNP since poll  
• EC will gazette name of new MP shortly

Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake yesterday informed the Election Commission of the vacancy in Parliament from 4 December, due to the demise of Ratnapura District MP Ranjith Soyza, so that the EC can name a new MP to fill the vacancy. The SG of Parliament informed the Chairman of Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya in terms of section 64 (1) of the Parliament Election Act No 01 of 1981. According to the Parliamentary Act, the Election Commission will name the next person who contested from the UPFA in the 2015 General Election and obtained the highest preferential votes after the deceased MP. 

The late MP had obtained 63,078 votes in the last General Election. 

The next on the UPFA list is Waruna Liyanage, who has now joined the UNP. Meanwhile, the funeral of the late parliamentarian will take place in his hometown of Godakawela on Sunday.