The Maligakanda Magistrate’s Court has issued a restraining order against 26 individuals including Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake, preventing them from entering the Hospital Square area in Colombo today (26 Feb.). 

The order was issued based on a request made by the OIC of the Maradana Police earlier today, following information received about a political protest scheduled for today in several areas in Colombo, including those surrounding the Colombo National Hospital, National Eye Hospital, the Cardiology Unit of the National Hospital of Sri Lanka and the Hospital Square area in Maradana, Colombo. 

The request was made by the OIC upon consideration of the inconvenience potentially caused to the patients and area residents and other members of the public travelling through the aforementioned areas. 

Earlier this morning, the Fort Magistrate’s Court also issued an order preventing the group from entering several places including the Ministry of Finance, the President’s House and the Presidential Secretariat between 01:00 p.m and 08:00 p.m. today. 

Both these orders come in the backdrop of announcement of a protest march due to be staged by the National People’s Power (NPP) today.