The Election Commission has gazetted the name of Karunarathna Paranawithana from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) to fill the parliamentary seat left vacant by the resignation of Ratnapura District MP Thalatha Athukorala.
Paranawithana previously served as the Deputy Minister of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media and as the Deputy Minister of Skills Development and Vocational Training. Before his ministerial roles, he was the Secretary to the Ministry of Mass Media until he resigned to contest the 2015 parliamentary elections under the UNP-led alliance, the UNFGG.
The vacancy arose after Parliament informed the Election Commission on Friday, August 23, that Thalatha Athukorala had resigned as a Member of Parliament, effective August 21, 2024. This was communicated by the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, in accordance with Section 64(1) of the Parliamentary Elections Act No. 1 of 1981.
Thalatha Athukorala, who entered Parliament in 2004 and was re-elected in 2010, 2015, and 2020, announced her resignation on August 21. She is the sister of the late UNP politician Gamini Athukorala and secured her seat in the 2020 general election with 45,105 votes from the Ratnapura District as an SJB representative.
