Court prevents Athaullah group functioning as SLMC officials

[TamilNet, Friday, 03 January 2003, 16:29 GMT]
The Colombo District Court Friday issued injunction on five rebel leaders of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) preventing them from functioning as executive officials of the party. The District Judge Ms Malini Gunaretna made the order after inquiring into the petition by the leader of the SLMC and Minister Mr.Rauff Hakim, legal sources said.

Minister Mr. Hakim Friday filed petition seeking the court to issue injunction on Mr.S.Subairdeen, Minister A.L.M.Athaullah and eighteen others who were elected to the executive committee of the SLMC at its eighteenth annual delegates' conference held at Akkaraipattu in Ampara district on December 25. Minister Mr. Hakim has cited twenty SLMC rebels including Mr.S.Subairdeen, Mr. A.L.M.Athaullah as respondents in his petition, court sources said.

The injunction issued on the rebel leaders is valid only for two weeks, court sources said. According to the order made by the District Court, Mr.Subairdeen, Mr. A.L.M.Athaullah, Dr.A.Uthumalebbe, Dr.A.L.M.Hafrath and A.J.M.Mussamil are barred from functioning as the President, Chairman, Senior Deputy president, General Secretary and National Organizer of the SLMC respectively.

The District Judge further directed the Registrar to issue notice on the twenty respondents cited in the petition to appear in court on January 16, sources said.