Permanent injunction on MS pending conclusion of two cases challenging his leadership

…also ban on expulsion of opponents extended

Former President and SLFP leader Maithripala Sirisena’s efforts to counter leadership challenge has suffered another setback with the Colombo District Court issuing a permanent injunction preventing him from functioning as the Chairman of Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

The Court issued the order yesterday (24) in respect of a plaint filed by one-time SLFP Executive Committee member Montague Sarathchandra.

The permanent injunction will be effective until the conclusion of the trial.

This is the second order issued by the Colombo District Court, barring the ex-President from functioning as the SLFP Chairman. The previous order was delivered with respect to a case filed by former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga.

Meanwhile, the Colombo District Court yesterday extended the order that barred the Executive Committee of SLFP from expelling Mahinda Amaraweera, Duminda Dissanayake, and Lasantha Alagiyawanna from their respective party positions.

The interim injunction will be effective until 08 May.

Colombo District Judge Sandun Withana issued the order when a plaint filed by the three MPs was taken up yesterday morning (24).

A group of individuals, including Maithripala Sirisena and Acting General Secretary of SLFP Sarathi Dushmantha Mithrapala, MP, have been named as respondents of the relevant plaints.

The Executive Committee of the SLFP, on 30 March, announced the decision to remove Dissanayake, Alagiyawanna and Amaraweera from their respective positions in the party.

Dissanayake was stripped of his post of National Organiser, Alagiyawanna was removed as the Treasurer and Amaraweera as the Senior Vice President.

Sirisena appointed a new Senior Vice President, a Treasurer and a National Organiser after the trio was stripped of their respective positions.

Thereby, SLFP’s Mahiyangana Constituency Organiser K. P. Gunawardena was appointed to the post of National Organiser, former Western Provincial Minister Hector Bethmage as the Treasurer and former Central Province Chief Minister Sarath Ekanayake as the Senior Vice President.

Those opposed to Sirisena were planning to move Court against the recent appointment of Justice Minister Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC, as the Acting Chairman of the SLFP pending the conclusion of the relevant court cases that barred Sirisena from functioning as the party leader, political sources told The Island (SF).