The Court of Appeal has decided to announce its decision on preliminary objections against the petition challenging the parliamentary seat of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on May 21.

The petitioner claimed Ranil Wickremesinghe is a shareholder of a private company that entered into agreements with the government institutions and therefore he had no right to function as a parliamentarian.

The petition has been filed by Sharmila Gonawala, the Co-President of ‘Women for Justice’ and a strong supporter of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa

Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam and the Secretary-General of Parliament are among the four respondents named in the petition.

The petitioner claimed that  Wickremesinghe is a shareholder of Lake House Printers and Publishers PLC that is engaged in business activities with the Bank of Ceylon and People’s Bank.

Lake House Printers and Publishers is a company owned by Wickremesinghe's family which also owned the Lake House newspapers company now controlled by the government.