Sri Lanka's former defence secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa greets his supporters after his return from the United States, in Katunayake, Sri Lanka April 12, 2019 ReutersThe three-judge panel of the Appeal Court unanimously dismissed the case that challenged the validity of Rajapaksa's Sri Lankan citizenship, which he obtained in 2005A Sri Lankan court on Friday dismissed a legal challenge to presidential candidate Gotabaya Rajapaksa's Sri Lankan citizenship, removing a major barrier he faced in contesting the November 16 poll. The three-judge panel of the Appeal Court unanimously dismissed the case that challenged the validity of Rajapaksa's Sri Lankan citizenship, which he obtained in 2005. Two civil activists challenged Rajapaksa's Sri Lankan citizenship document and argued that he did not properly obtain it in 2005, when he was a United States citizen. Rajapaksa, 70, renounced Sri Lankan citizenship in 2003 to obtain U.S. nationality, but returned to Sri Lanka two years later, applying for dual citizenship after his brother Mahinda Rajapaksa won the presidency. Sri Lanka does not allow dual citizens or non-citizens to contest national elections.

Source: Dhaka Tribune October 04, 2019 18:22 UTC