Legal battle of UNP-dissidents continues

[TamilNet, Saturday, 19 May 2007, 11:58 GMT]
The Colombo District Court Friday extended its stay order for the third time against the decision of the main opposition United National Party (UNP) to expel eleven dissident parliamentarians of the UNP who joined the government led by Sri Lanka's President Mahinda Rajapakse and accepted ministries, and called for further explanation from the UNP leadership, legal sources said.

The application filed by the dissident UNP group led by Mr.Karu Jayasuriya came up for inquiry. Petitioners have cited Mr.Ranil Wickremasinghe, President, and Mr.Tissa Attanayake, General Secretary of the UNP as respondents.

Respondents filed objections that the headquarters of the UNP is located in the jurisdiction of the Galkissa District Court. Hence the Colombo district court has no jurisdiction hear the petition filed by the dissident group.

Petitioners have misled the court in this regard, the Respondents said, begging the court to dismiss the petition.

But the Colombo District Judge Mr.Aruna C.Gunasinghe rejected respondents' objection and extended the stay order against the UNP leadership till June 26, legal sources said.