Oropouche East MP Dr Roodal Moonilal has been denied an injunction by the High Court to stop today's parliamentary debate on the Privileges Committee report against him.
The ruling clears the way for the committee's report to be debated in Parliament this afternoon.
The ruling also sets a historic legal precedent that sees the court intervening in the work of the Parliament, an interaction which the separation of powers doctrine guards against.
High Court judge Jacqueline Wilson delivered the ruling via email today, less than an hour before the Lower House was scheduled to convene to discuss the Privileges Committee's investigation.
Moonilal sought the injunction to put the brakes on the parliamentary debate while he pursues a constitutional challenge against the committee in the courts.
The ruling came after hours of legal submissions by attorneys from both sides at the Hall of Justice yesterday. A ruling on the injunction had to be handed down before 1.30 pm, when Parliament was set to meet.
Senior Counsel Deborah Peake is representing Speaker Brigid Annisette-George, Anand Ramlogan, SC, is leading Moonilal’s legal team and Douglas Mendes, SC, is representing the Office of the Attorney General in the matter.