UNP Lawyers’ Association restrained

Roshan Thushara

Colombo District Judge Dhammika Ganepola yesterday issued an enjoining order precluding the new office- bearers of the UNP Lawyers’ Association elected at the recent party Working Committee meeting from functioning in their new posts .

The enjoining order was issued against UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, 80 members of the UNP Working Committee and 13 members of the Lawyers’ Association.

The case was filed by former Minister of Prisons and member of the National Lawyers’ Association Mahen Gunasekera.

The plaintiff submitted to court that at the National Lawyers’ Convention in July 2009, attorney at law Upul Jayasooriya was elected President and Gunaratne Wanninayake Secretary together with other office -bearers and that the election of President’s Counsel Tilak Marapana and the rest at the Working Committee meeting on July 19 this year was illegal.

He called on court to prevent their functioning in their new appointments made outside the party annual convention.

An affidavit was also submitted to court by MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, a participant at the Working Committee meeting stating the WC meeting was unconstitutional..

A document was also produced where the UNP General Secretary informed Gunaratne Wanninayake that the new Lawyers’ Association Secretary was Nissanka Nanayakkara.

The petitioner stated that the arbitrary appointment of the Lawyers’ Association by Ranil Wickremesinghe and company was detrimental to the UNP and its membership in facing future elections. The case will be called up again on August 23