An injunction order was yesterday issued against Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman, former President Maithripala Sirisena preventing him from functioning as the Chairman of SLFP by the Colombo District Court.
After considering a case filed by Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga, the censorship was issued by Colombo Chief District Judge Sandun Vithana, until the final determination of the case.
The Colombo District Judge also ordered to issue interim notices and notices to the respondents to produce their facts over the case on April 18.
The case had cited SLFP Chairman, former President Maithripala Sirisena, its Acting Secretary Sarathi Dushmantha Mithrapala and its Senior Vice President Nimal Siripala De Silva and Vice President Faizer Musthapha as the accused.
In her petition, plaintiff former President Chandrika Kumarathunga had alleged that first accused Maithripala Sirisena in the case, had acted irresponsibly while serving as the Executive President of the country it caused to Easter Sunday Attack which was carried out by the suicide bomb attackers on April 21, 2019. Because of his irresponsible acts, around 296 people had been killed including 45 children while around 500 people were wounded in the bomb attacks.
This case has been filed in the Colombo District Court, pointing out that Maithripala Sirisena is a person who has violated the constitution of the Republic, he has violated the policies of the party, he is removing those who are working for the advancement of the party from their positions contrary to the party constitution, he is not a person who makes stable decisions and as the Supreme Court has held him guilty of grave dereliction of duty, it is unworthy of the reputation of the party for him to act as the chairman of the party, and there is no provision in the party constitution for him to act as the Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party.
The Petition said that she played a crucial role in the election campaign led by the first accused to get the Presidency of the Republic, and he asked for a mandate to politically defeat the Rajapaksa regime led by former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the accused who appeared against the said mandate, Ranil Wickremasinghe, who was the Prime Minister at that time, was unconstitutionally fired from that position and proceeded to handover the government of the Republic to another party that did not have the majority in the Parliament. Then an illegal or unconstitutional attempt was made to dissolve the parliament by exceeding his power, and the Supreme Court had ruled that his decision was unconstitutional, petition said.
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has stated that Maithripala Sirisena called a special meeting on March 30, 2024 to remove the position of three members of the party’s parliamentary group, which is taking initiative for the betterment of the party.
She points out that the orders have been taken and accordingly the irremediable damage that could have happened to the party due to the arbitrary action of Maithripala Sirisena has stopped.
It is further pointed out here that on a previous occasion, the District Court has given orders preventing the decision of the party chairman to expel Duminda Dissanayake, Lasantha Alagiyawanna and Mahinda Amaraweera from the party.
Therefore, former President Chandrika Kumarathunga alleged that Maithripala Sirisena has no right or entitlement to act as the President of the Freedom Party and sought from the Court to issue an interim restraining order preventing him from acting as the president of the party until this case is heard.
Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga has said that if it is unable to prevent that former President Maithripala Sirisena will continue to serve as the party president, the existence of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party will be unstable, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party will become politically irrelevant very soon, and the public’s trust in the Sri Lanka Freedom Party will be undermined. and that the Sri Lanka Freedom Party and itself and its members will suffer irreparable and incurable damages and losses.
Therefore, she points out through this petition that the case has been filed in the Colombo District Court seeking that the relevant injunctions and interim orders be issued.
Dilshan Tharaka