United National Party (UNP) Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed party lawyers to request the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) and the Attorney General to resume the hearing of cases, which were halted at Hulftsdorp due to the rise in COVID-19 cases and to consider shifting the location as necessary.
The party had decided to make this request owing to a number of court cases filed against individuals and local representatives of the party who had vouched their support and joined other political parties during the General Election. It is learnt that there are cases pertaining to the suspension of party membership and pending disciplinary inquiries. Attorney-at-Law Ronald Perera has informed Wickremesinghe that those facing disciplinary inquiries can be summoned to the Sirikotha party headquarters or questioned through technological means, yet many court cases remain pending.
Wickremesinghe said that the trials could be held at a place such as the BMICH until the situation around Hulftsdorp improves. He said that it is not necessary to take many officers and that only the officers who must attend the hearing can travel to another location to continue hearing these cases. Those cases can be heard without summoning all petitioners or respondents and with only the lawyers in attendance, he said.
