Colombo: A newly-elected MP of the ruling party, who is facing a death sentence in a murder case in Sri Lanka, was sworn in as a Member of Parliament by the Speaker on Tuesday. Sri Lanka People’s Party (SLPP) MP Premlal Jayasekhara was convicted on 31 July in a murder case just a few days before the five August parliamentary elections. He contested from South West Ratnapur region.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeyavardhana administered him the oath as a Member of Parliament. Earlier, the appellate court issued an interim order asking the Prison General Commissioner to make arrangements for Jayasekhara to be present in Parliament. Jayasekhara had filed a writ petition in the appellate court requesting relief.
Jayashekhara and two others were sentenced to death by the Ratnapur High Court in connection with the murder of a political activist just before the January 2015 presidential election. Jayasekhara was unable to attend the inaugural session of Parliament on 20 August following the SLPP’s landslide victory in the recent election.
