PA further restrained from expelling SLMC MPs

[TamilNet, Friday, 28 September 2001, 22:46 GMT]
The Colombo District Court Friday extended the enjoining order restraining the Mr.D.M.Jayaretna, General Secretary of the ruling People's Alliance (PA) and three others from expelling three Sri Lanka Muslim Congress parliamentarians A.L.A.Athaullah, M.S.M.Thowfeek and Risvie Sinnalebbe from parliament.

Ms.Rohini Walgama, District Judge made the order extending the restraining order till October 19 on submissions by the three petitioners. The enjoining order was to expire Friday.

In this case the petitioners have stated that they are members of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and they do not come under the authority of the PA. As such the PA General Secretary has no power to expel or take disciplinary action against them.

The General Secretary of the ruling PA took steps to expel the three parliamentarians on the pretext that they contested the last general election under the PA symbol. Mr.D.M.Jayaretna as General Secretary of the PA issued show cause notices on these parliamentarians why they should not be expelled from parliament for joining the opposition.

Meanwhile Mr.Rauff Hakeem, SLMC leader said that "all parliamentarians who crossed over to the opposition on June 20 under my leadership couldn't be expelled from parliament. This has been confirmed by the Supreme Court Friday in parliamentarian Basheer Segu Dawood's case".

"Justice has prevailed at last. Ms.Ferial Ashraff has no authority to expel SLMC parliamentarians from the National Unity Alliance purporting to act as its leader. Now she must know the reality of the situation and should withdraw all actions against parliamentarians who have accepted my leadership", said Mr.Rauff Hakeem.

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