Enjoining order issued on SLRC DG

Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo District Judge Sisira Ratnayake yesterday issued an enjoining order restraining Director General of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation Sisira Kotalawala from interdicting or sacking Ravindra Munasinghe, a producer of the SLRC.

The District Judge issued the order following a petition filed by Munasinghe citing Sisira Kotalawala as the respondent stating that interdiction of Munasinghe by Kotalawala through the letter dated March 7, 2008 was illegal.

The Petitioner filing his petition through Mallawarachchi Associates stated that the act of interdiction was a disciplinary measure that does not come under purview of the Director General.

According to the Section 9 (2) of the SLRC Act the Director General is responsible for the administration of the employees but the disciplinary measures could be taken only by a body constituted according to the Section 3 of the Act.

The Petitioner stated that Kotalawala had interdicted Munasinghe with immediate effect through the letter dated March 7, 2008 based on the fact that Munasinghe had gone abroad violating the leave regulations of the Corporation.

Munasinghe also stated that he had to go abroad on February 11, 2008 on an urgent matter and the Chairman of the SLRC interdicted him through a letter dated February 22, 2008 based on the fact that he violated the leave regulations of the Corporation. Munasinghe filed a petition before the Colombo District Court stating that the Chairman had no power to take disciplinary action against employees and obtained an ex-parte enjoining order restraining him from being interdicted.

Thereafter the Director General of the SLRC sent him the letter of interdiction dated March 7, 2008 with the malicious intention of not enacting the District Court order he said in his petition.

The Petitioner also stated that no disciplinary Action had been held against him.

President’s Counsel Ikram Mohamed and Attorney Roshan Hettiarachchi appeared for the petitioner.