Appeal against Gazette Notification:

Judge vacates stay order

Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo High Court Judge Deepali Wijesundara yesterday vacated the order issued by the Colombo High Court on Monday staying the gazette notification that suspended J.M. Somasiri holding the office of President of the Western Province Passenger Transport Authority.

The Colombo High Court vacated the order issued by the same Court on the previous day following Senior State Counsel Chethiya Gunasekara appearing for the defendants stated that the Western Province Governor had the power to suspend a person from holding the office of President of the Western Province Passenger Transport Authority.

The High Court on Monday issued the stay order after considering the appeal filed by J.M. Somasiri before the Court citing Western Province Governor S. Alavi Moulana, Western Province Passenger Transport Authority and its secretary Victor Samaraweera as defendants.

In his appeal, Somasiri stated that he was suspended from holding the post of President of the Western Province Passenger Transport Authority through a gazette notification on April 2, 2009 by Western Province Governor Alavi Moulana. Somasiri appealed against the gazette notification. The Court issued an order staying the gazette notification on Monday for fourteen days and it was vacated yesterday with immediate effect.

Senior State Counsel Chethiya Gunasekara and State Counsel Iroma Nanayakkara appeared for the defendants.