Enjoining order issued on Book Publishers’ Association

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Colombo District Judge Sisira Ratnayake in an enjoining order yesterday restrained the office-bearers and executive committee of Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association from preventing its members from participating in the Poth Piyasa book exhibition to be held at the Conference and Convention Centre from September 06 to 13.

The Judge issued this order after a plaint by the organisers of Poth Piyasa Kamal Addararachchi was taken up for hearing.

Plaintiff Addararachchi in his plaint cited that the defendants were illegally forced the Association members not to participate in exhibition in September other than the International Book Exhibition and the State Literary Festival. Plaintiff stated that he organised the exhibition under the State patronage to strengthen the campaign against Thalassaemia with the support of the Education and Healthcare and Nutrition Ministries.

Plaintiff cited Association Chairman Ranjith Samaranayake, Secretary Upali Wanigasooriya, Treasure Ariyadasa Weeraman, former Chairman H.D. Premasiri and executive committee members Sarathchandra Wanniarachchi, Vijitha Yapa, G.B. Senanayake, Shan Rajaguru, Padmasiri de Silva, Prem Dissanayake and Niroshana Jayasundara as defendants.

The Plaintiff stated that he organised the exhibition through his institution ‘Sky Line Concepts’ and a large number of book publishers had sent him applications for stalls at the exhibition. But the applicants told him verbally that they could not participate it as the Association prevented them from doing so through a letter dated August 4, 2008.

The Plaintiff also pleaded to issue an interim injunction restraining the defendants from preventing its members from participating at the Poth Piyasa book exhibition. The case was put off for September 12.