19 May 2010 10:18 am
The Southern Provincial High Court issued an order today suspending the decision to remove Matara Mayor Upul Nishantha and appointing anyone else to the post following a writ application filed by him after he lodged a complaint that he was being removed for supporting Sarath Fonseka.
Provincial High Court Judge Devika Abeyratne made this order following a writ application filed by the mayor Upul Nishantha against Chief Minister of Southern Province G.W. Shan Wijayalal De Silva, Southern Provincial Council, Saman Dharshana Pandikorala, Commissioner of Local Government, Deegoda Gamage Yasaratne, Deputy Mayor of the Matara Municipal Council and others as respondents.
Supporting the application counsel Saliya Pieris, instructed by Paul Ratnayake Associates informed court that the Matara Mayor who was appointed to the post at the 2006 Local Council Election had been politically victimized as he had supported Opposition Common candidate General Sarath Fonseka at the last Presidential Election.
He states that he was a strong supporter of the former Cabinet Minister Mangala Samaraweera and he openly supported General Sarath Fonseka at the election rallies and due to this he was subjected to various harassments.