Election Commission To Discuss  Foreign Citizenship of  Shalila

New Domacratic Unit (Lalith) National front  was inagurated  in 1995 and registred as a  political party in 2009 by Shalila Munasinghe, who is a  britist citizen by birth.  However, he had produced a National Identity cardtothe  election department and attented its meeting as the leader of the party. But he had never told the Department that he was a foreigh national, said Chairman of the Election Commission Mahinda Deshapriya.

Even Maithripala sirisena contested the last presidential  election  from his party , which has the Swan Symbol.The Election Commission came to know  about his Britist Citenship  only after  he was arrested and kept in remand custody over a theft of from a Taiwan bank.

The NEC will discuss the existing law and the action to be taken, he said. Adding however, it was  not their responsibility to enforce or interpret the law. The law doesnot  permit  foreign citizenship holders from contesting Presidential and parliamentary election. Munasinghe’s britist citizenship  transpired at courts two days ago. With the police saying his visa to remain in Srilanka would expire on 8^th December.

The Election Commission will meet on 19^th October to decide whether foreign nationals can hold chairmanship of a political party in Srilanka .