• This order will be effective until June 3

By Lakmal Sooriyagoda
The Colombo District Court yesterday issued an enjoining order preventing Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe PC and Attorney-at-Law Keerthi Udawatta from functioning as Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman and party acting General Secretary respectively. This order will be effective until June 3.

Colombo District Court Judge Sandun Vithana made this order pursuant to a plaint filed by Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) parliamentarian Duminda Dissanayake. The Court had earlier decided to dismiss the original plaint, taking into consideration the objections raised by Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe challenging the maintainability of the case.

The plaintiff Duminda Dissanayake is further seeking a declaration that all decisions taken during an executive committee meeting of SLPP held on May 12 are not valid in law.

The plaintiff alleged that the executive committee meeting had been convened illegally, contrary to the provisions of SLFP constitution, and therefore its subsequent appointments are not legally valid. However, on May 13, the Kaduwela District Court had issued an enjoining order preventing all factions from disrupting the newly appointed office bearers Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe as the party Chairman and Keerthi Udawatta as acting General Secretary.

Chandaka Jayasundara, PC with Counsel Amila E. Dissanayake appeared for Plaintiff. Romesh De Silva, PC appeared for Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe. Kuvera de Zoysa PC appeared for Keerthi Udawatta. Shaheed Barrie appeared for Nimal Siripala de Silva. Pulasthi Rupasinghe appeared for Mahinda Amaraweera.