Court stays Grero's expulsion

Roshan THUSHARA

The Colombo District Court yesterday issued an interim injunction preventing the UNP from expelling Parliamentarian and Education Ministry Monitoring MP Mohan Lal Grero from the party.

Colombo District Judge Ranjith N. Wathupola issued this order after considering a plaint filed by Parliamentarian Grero against UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and General Secretary Tissa Attanayake.

Attorney Faizer Mustapha who appeared for Parliamentarian Grero submitted that Mohan Lal Grero's action in voting in favour of the 2012 budget in keeping with the Sri Lanka constitution and his conscience cannot be construed as an action in breach of UNP's party discipline and constitution. The UNP which has sent a show cause notice dated November 5 had decided at a Working Committee meeting held on November 7 to temporarily suspend Grero from membership of the party and post of Ratmalana organizer. Mustapha submitted that this action taken by the UNP without a proper disciplinary inquiry is both illegal, anti-constitutional and against natural justice. The case was postponed for January 12. Faizer Mustapha with Attorneys Sanjeewa Kaluarachchi and Isuru Balapatabendi appeared for the plaintiff.