Injunction against Sirisena as SLFP Chairman extended

By A.J.A Abeynayaka and Rathindra Kuruwita

The Colombo District Court yesterday (18) extended the interim injunction preventing former President Maithripala Sirisena from functioning as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), until May 09.

District Court judge Sandun Vithana directed all parties to submit objections to the decision. The order was issued when a case filed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga was taken up.

On 04 April, 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.

Bandaranaike has said Sirisena is taking ad hoc decisions, ignoring the party constitution, removing office bearers who are working for the betterment of the party, and that his actions are destroying the party.

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. 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.

Meanwhile, former General Secretary of the SLFP, Dayasiri Jayasekera, alleged that a group led by former president Chandrika Bandaranaike is trying to appoint a puppet as the leader of the party.

“They want to appoint someone who would lend the party’s support to President Ranil Wickremesinghe at the elections. I am saddened by the fact Chandrika is involved in this conspiracy. She was once the leader of the SLFP,” he said.

Jayasekera said that the elections commission has been informed of the attempt made by a group to usurp the party.

“We hope that the commission will be just. I am ready to work with Maithripala Sirisena to make the party strong,” he said.