District Court dismisses action by Athaullah faction

[TamilNet, Friday, 10 January 2003, 21:21 GMT]
The legal action instituted by the Athaullah faction of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) to prevent Minister Rauff Hakim from holding his faction's eighteenth delegate conference on Sunday was dismissed by the Colombo District Court Friday.

Mr.A.L.M.Yaseen and another Friday filed an action in the District Court of Colombo seeking an order preventing Minister Mr. Hakim from holding the SLMC's eighteenth delegate conference as scheduled on Sunday in Colombo.

The District Judge Ms Malini Gunaretna Friday examined the earlier cases filed in the leadership dispute of the SLMC when the action filed by the petitioners on behalf of the Athaullah faction came up for inquiry. After careful consideration the District Judge dismissed the application of the Athaullah faction, court sources said.

The petitioners had cited SLMC leader and Minister Mr.Rauff Hakim, General Secretary Mr.Hassan Moulavi and the national organizer Mr.K.M.Faiz in their application as respondents, the sources said.

On December 25 last year the Athaullah faction of the SLMC held its delegate conference at Akkaraipattu in the eastern province which Mr. Hakim, leader of another faction called it illegal and unconstitutional.

Meanwhile the national organizer of the SLMC (Hakim faction) said as scheduled the eighteenth delegate conference of the SLMC will be held Sunday at Mahapola Training Centre at Mattakuliya in Colombo under the chairmanship of Minister Mr.Rauff Hakim.

He further said crucial decisions are expected to be taken regarding the future of rival faction. More than three hundred and fifty delegates will participate in the conference, he said.