Court issues injunction order

The Colombo District Court yesterday issued an injunction order preventing the UNP from taking any action to dismiss UNP parliamentarian Earl Gunasekera who expressed support to the government.

This injunction order was issued on UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and members of the Executive Committee. The order issued by Colombo Chief District Court Judge Ranjith N Wathupola is in force till the court inquiry is over.

Gunasekera who held the post of additional treasurer of the UNP filed this case on September 10, 2010 through attorney at law Athula de Silva against UNP leaders who attempted to dismiss him from the party. The Court had issued an interim order preventing Gunasekera from being removed from the UNP after a lengthy submission made by attorney at law M.U.M. Ali Sabri.

This interim order expired yesterday. The UNP General Secretary sent a letter to Gunasekera to show causes for extending support to the 18th Amendment of the Constitution within 14 days.

Gunasekera filed action against this move by Attanayake and other party leaders. Gunasekera in his plaint also cited that the party leaders were attempting to expel him from the membership of the party in an illegal manner. The parliamentarian in his plaint explained as to why he decided to extend his support to the 18th Amendment of the Constitution in Parliament. He pleaded court to issue an order that can prevent UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe from removing him from the party.

Gunasekera stated that he decided to extend his support to the 18th Amendment of the Constitution on President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s invitation.

Lawyers appearing for the respondents stated that Gunasekera has violated the party constitution. The court ordered the respondents to make their submission on October 7. The case was fixed for October 7.