SLMC Gen Secy stripped of powers

Ruwanthi Kariyawasam

COLOMBO: Colombo District Judge H.P. Sumithrapala yesterday issued an enjoining order restraining Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) General Secretary M.T. Hasan Ali from preparing, signing or filing any Nomination papers for the forthcoming Local Government Elections or any other Election.

The enjoining order further restrains the General Secretary from appointing a third party to perform these functions.

The Enjoining Order further restrained both Rauff Hakeem and Ali from functioning or performing the functions of the SLMC Leader and the General Secretary with retrospective effect from March 11, 2004.

The Enjoining Order further restrains Election Commissioner Dayananda Dissanayake and the Returning Officers appointed for the Local Government Elections from accepting any nominations under the signature of the SLMC General Secretary or any other agent appointed by him.

The application for an Enjoining Order was filed by SLMC member Jamaldeen Ishak. The Petition stated that the SLMC held its last delegates Conference on January 12, 2003, at which the 1st and 2nd respondents, Rauff Hakeem and M.T.Hasan Ali were elected as the Leader and the General Secretary and that according to the SLMC Constitution the next annual conference was due before March 11, 2004.

However, the Party failed to hold the Annual Delegates Conference. Accordingly the Petitioner submitted that on March 11, 2004, due to the failure of the Party to hold the Conference, all office bearers ceased to hold their posts as of March 11, 2004.

Kapila Liyanagamage with Kuwera de Soysa instructed by Gratien E. Perera, Attorneys at Law appeared for the Petitioner.