Ranil W withdraws Quo Warranto Writ petition filed against Mahinda R.

Colombo (News 1st): The Quo Warranto Writ petition filed by Ranil Wickremesinghe and 121 MPs, against former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 others, was withdrawn by the petitioners today (March 12) at the Court of Appeal. The writ petition was filed seeking an order in the nature of Quo Warranto declaring that Mahinda Rajapaksa and 48 others are not entitled to hold the office of Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers. The petition was filed by 122 MPs from the United National Party, JVP, TNA, and the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress. Following the consideration of the petition that was filed on November 23rd 2018, the Court of Appeal issued an interim order on December 3rd 2018, preventing Mahinda Rajapaksa and the group of MPs from holding the office of Prime Minister and Cabinet of Ministers. The following day, Mahinda Rajapaksa and several other MPs filed 4 petitions with the Supreme Court, requesting that the interim order be lifted. However, on December 14th 2018, the request to lift the interim order was rejected by the Supreme Court. Mahinda Rajapaksa resigned from his position as Prime Minister, following the Supreme Court’s verdict. When the petition was taken before Court of Appeal Judge Arjuna Obeyesekera this morning, counsel appearing for the petitioners noted as the relief sought from the petition was received, there was no need to continue with the petition. Therefore, the court permitted the petitioners to withdraw the petition.