EC says it has no mandate to resolve SLFP internal crisis, refers matter to Courts

The Election Commission (EC) has decided it has no legal mandate to resolve the internal crisis of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.

The Commission members met on Thursday (18) to decide on the claims and counter-claims made by the two factions of the SLFP about the recent appointments made by a section of the party’s politburo.

On 08 April, a section of the SLFP’s politburo appointed Minister of Ports, Aviation and Shipping Nimal Siripala de Silva as the party’s Acting Chairman. They also appointed MP Duminda Dissanayake as the party’s Acting General Secretary. Dissanayake submitted documents to the Elections Cmmission informing of the changes made to the office-bearers.

In response, Acting General Secretary of the SLFP, Dushmantha Mithrapala, on Thursday (18) filed objections at the Elections Commission against the appointments made on that day.

These appointments came days after the Colombo District Court issued an enjoining order preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the SLFP Chairman. The Court also ordered Acting General Secretary of the SLFP, Dushmantha Mithrapala, and Senior Vice Presidents

Nimal Siripala de Silva, and Faiszer Musthapha not to implement any order by Sirisena.The Election Commission considered the submissions of both sides on 18 April and they decided that the rift in the SLFP must be solved by the courts of law.