Ranjan barred from parliament until verdict : Speaker

COLOMBO (News1st): Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana has announced that Ranjan Ramanayake will not be allowed to attend parliamentary sittings until a definite verdict is issued by court. Ramanayake, elected to Parliament at the last election under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya ticket, was sentenced to four years in prison due to contempt of court. He has filed an appeal at the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka using provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights that guarantees every person convicted of a crime, the right to appeal. Meanwhile, oppostion lawmaker Patali Champika Ranawaka informed the House that a private members bill has been submitted to the Parliament's Secretary-General on amending contempt of court laws.