Ranil-Mangala told to file answers before month end

Case against UNP-SLFP (M) pact:

Sandasen Marasinghe

COLOMBO: Colombo District Judge Sisira Ratnayake yesterday fixed August 31 for UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Sri Lanka Freedom Party Mahajana Wing convenor Mangala Samaraweera to file answers pertaining to the plaint filed against them challenging that the agreement they entered into on July 19 was a violation of the UNP party constitution.

The Court put off hearing of the plaint when the defendants pleaded before the Court for a date to tender their objections.

The plaint was filed by Former UNP Member of Parliament W.I. Anura Bastian and UNP Western Provincial Councillor Anil Kumara Wijesinghe on August 08 citing Wickremesinghe and Samaraweera as defendants.

Plaintiffs filing the plaint through Attorney B.S. Upula Fernando stated that the UNP party constitution had not vested powers on the party leader to decide on the policies and principles of the party but to the Party Convention or to the party’s National Executive Committee.

But the leader of the party had entered into an agreement with the convenor of the SLFP Mahajana wing without the approval of the Party Convention or the National Executive Committee of the party on July 19 and it was a violation of the UNP party constitution.

President’s Counsel Ikram Mohamed appeared with Attorney Chamath Jayasekara and Thusith Wijegunawardana for the plaintiffs instructed by B.S. Upul Fernando. President’s Counsel Harsha Sosa and President’s Counsel S.A. Parathalingam appeared for the first defendant while President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva appeared for the second defendant.