Look at the wider picture, Judge tells Book publishers

Wasantha Ramanayake

COLOMBO: The Book Publishers Association of Sri Lanka should have a greater depth and wider perspective observed Colombo District Judge Anura C. Ranasinghe refusing the application for enjoining the Colombo International Book Fair scheduled to start from Saturday.

Judge Ranasinghe observed that the Association should not be succumbed to petty differences so as to debar a publisher from participating at the fair just because of a dispute with the husband of the petitioner.”I hope that the parties would get together in future.”

Judge Ranasinghe noted “even an author of a book have a width and depth in his view than an ordinary carpenter who just shape piece of wood.” He observed that he could only enforce what was legally binding but said there was “a shadow of injustice seemingly had been caused to the petitioner by the action of the first defendant association.”

Refusing the application for the enjoining order the court decided that the balance of convenience with the defendants since there likely to incur huge loss if the enjoining order was granted.

Counsel Chula Bandara for defendants argued that the exhibition was private event organised by the first defendant and it was legally bound to invite the petitioner.

Counsel Ranjan Suhandarathne for petitioner Mrs. Wijesuriya stated that the first defendant Association expressly discriminated against the petitioner and turned down her request for space at the exhibition on the grounds of the criticism levelled at the association in a newspaper article by her husband Sarath Wijesuriya. He submitted that petitioner made the request for the space well before the first respondent association sent their invitations.

Plaintiff Mrs. Wijesuriya of the Wijesuriya Publishers cited the Book Publishers Association and 12 other book publishers as defendants.

The plaintiff stated that it had been unlawfully denied a space for a book stall in the premises of book fair at the BMICH by the defendants. The petitioner stated that he had for eight occasions participated at the exhibition. However, it had being critical of the association of high prices of the books that could not be afforded by the majority and subsequently resigned from the party.

The plaintiff stated that the non allocation of space at the exhibition premises was arbitrary and malicious and would cause irreparable loss and damage.

Ranjan Suhandarathne appeared for the petitioner.

Chula Bandara appeared for the defendants.

The case was put off for November 1.