Suspension of JVP councillors:

Notice issued on Somawasna

Sandasen MARASINGHE

Colombo District Court yesterday issued notice of interim injunction on JVP leader Somawansa Amarasinghe, its general Secretary Tilvin Silva and 19 others in connection with suspending party membership of a JVP Provincial Councillor and an Urban Councillor.

Colombo District Judge Sampath Wijeratne issued notice on the defendants when two separate plaints were filed alleging that party membership of Gampaha JVP Provincial Councillor Sunil Shantha Silva and Wattala Urban Councillor W.R.H. Wasantha Fernando were suspended from the JVP without holding any inquiry.

In their plaints the two plaintiffs Sunil Shantha of Horagolla, Ganemulla and Wasantha Fernando of Mabola, Wattala stated that they were informed through a letter by the General Secretary of the JVP in March 2009 that it was decided to hold a disciplinary inquiry against them for violating party policies by the act of supporting the National Freedom Front.

The plaintiffs stated that they could not take part at the inquiry as they were ill and they also informed the situation to the defendants. But without giving them an opportunity to be heard the defendants suspended their party membership from the JVP.

The Plaintiffs prayed before the Court to declare that the decision by the defendants to suspend the party membership of the plaintiffs null and void. The Notice is returnable on July 15.