Five enjoining orders on UNP General Secretary

Roshan Thushara and Jayantha de Silva

Mount Lavinia District Judge Priyantha Fernando yesterday issued five enjoining orders against UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake and the UNP Disciplinary Committee restraining them from initiating any disciplinary inquiry on MPs voting for the impeachment motion brought in Parliament against former Chief Justice Dr Shirani Bandaranayake contrary to both the UNP decision and common opposition consensus to vote against the impeachment.

The order is effective until March 22.

In a separate action, both UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and Attanayake were issued with interlocutory injunction and notice by the Colombo District Court sequel to action filed by Deputy Environment Minister Abdul Cader also relating to voting for the impeachment.

In respect of the case taken up in the Mount Lavinia District Court, an interlocutory injunction and notice on the respondents were issued.

The respondents were ordered to appear in court on the next dates of hearings fixed for March 20 and 22.

Four UNP MPs Earl Gunasekera, Lakshman Seneviratne, Nilwala Wijesinghe and Upeksha Swarnamali and Democratic People's Front (Prajathanthrawadi Janatha Peramuna) MP Praba Ganeshan filed five separate actions in this regard.

Attorney - at - Law Ali Sabry, PC appearing for the petitioners submitted that the impeachment was a lawful Constitutional process and not a violation of the UNP Constitution or the party discipline.

The petitioners acted in accordance to their self- conscience to safeguard the people's sovereignty. Furthermore, MP Praba Ganeshan is not a member of the UNP. Hence any disciplinary action cannot be taken against him.