COLOMBO : L.K. Jagath Priyankara was sworn in as a Member of Parliament to fill the seat left vacant following the death of State Minister Sanath Nishantha who represented the Puttalam constituency.
The new MP took oaths before Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena shortly after the parliamentary session kicked off at 9.30 a.m. this Thursday morning (Feb.08).
Priyankara is a member of the National Freedom Front (Jathika Nidahas Peramuna) led by MP Wimal Weerawansa.
State Minister Sanath Nishantha, 48, and his security officer suffered tragic deaths in a crash that took place on the Colombo – Katunayake expressway on January 25. The lawmaker’s driver, however, survived the accident.
The car, which they had been travelling in, had crashed against the roadside barrier on the Katunayake Expressway, after rear-ending a moving container truck. The group were returning from a wedding ceremony held at a hotel in Chilaw
A day after the accident, the Parliament informed the Election Commission of the MP seat left vacant by the demise of Sanath Nishantha.
Later, the Election Commission issued a statement announcing that NFF member L.K. Jagath Priyankara’s name was gazette to fill the vacancy in the parliament.
