Tele drama actor to be named to the vacant parliamentary seat of Sri Lanka's former Army Commander

Sri Lanka Election Commissioner directed the Colombo district Retaining Officer today to name the next candidate of the Democratic National Alliance (DNA) preferential vote list of the 2010 general election as a parliamentarian for Colombo district.

Jayantha Ketagoda, a well known tele drama actor who is the next in line on the Colombo District preferential vote list from the DNA, is to be named as MP for Colombo district.

The DNA parliamentary seat of former Army Commander Sarath Fonseka became vacant following his imprisonment by court martial.

The next in the preferential vote list of the DNA Lakshman Nipunaarachchi was named as MP but he did not swear in for three months prompting the parliamentary secretary to announce that he vacated the post.

Ketagoda was elected to the parliament in 2001 under the United National Party (UNP) banner for Kaduwela Electorate. He joined the DNA during the 2010 Presidential elections to support the common opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka.