Expulsion case:

Enjoining order against UNP further extended

Sandasen Marasinghe

Colombo District Judge Sampath Wijeratne yesterday extended the enjoining order till June 17, that was issued earlier restraining the United National Party from suspending the party membership of Media Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene from the UNP.

The same order restrained the United National Party and its General Secretary Tissa Attanayake from taking actions to suspend Minister Abeywardene from sitting in Parliament by informing the Secretary General of the Parliament based on the same suspension from the party membership of the UNP.

The Court issued the order on an earlier date after Minister Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene filed a petition before the Court alleging that the defendants of this plaint had no right to take a decision to suspend his party membership from the UNP as informed to him from a letter dated April 24, 2009.

Minister cited UNP, its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, its General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and 89 others as the defendants.

Attorneys-at-Law Ali Sabri and Rasanga Harischandra appeared for the plaintiff instructed by Athula de Silva.