UNP seeks dismissal of SJB’s petition challenging membership suspension

General Secretary United National Party (UNP) Akila Viraj Kariyawasam has filed objections with the Colombo District Court, seeking the dismissal of Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s petition calling for an injunction invalidating the UNP Working Committee’s decision to oust 294 members.

Kariyawasam had been cited as a respondent in the petition lodged by General Secretary of Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Ranjith Madduma Bandara.

In his objections, filed via Vidanapathirana Associates Lawyers, the UNP General Secretary pointed out that the plaintiff had concealed factual information when filing the petition.

He also noted that Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s petition appears to have been filed without cause of action and that it is in violation of Article 15, 16, 40 and 46(2) of the Civil Procedure Code.

Kariyawasam also noted that, on 30 January 2020, the Working Committee of the UNP decided to contest the General Election through an alliance and that a decision was taken to appoint Sajith Premadasa as its leader. The Working Committee had also discussed the matters concerning the alliance’s constitution and the symbol, he said further.

In this backdrop, several UNP members registered a separate political party called ‘Samagi Jana Balawegaya’ with Sajith Premadasa as its leader and Ranjith Madduma Bandara as its General Secretary, Kariyawasam said, adding that the move has violated the UNP’s constitution.

He accordingly seeks the court to dismiss the petition filed by SBJ General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara and to reject the injunction.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s petition had cited UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, its General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, Deputy Leader Ravi Karunanayake and several others as its respondents.

The petition has sought an injunction that invalidates the UNP Working Committee’s decision to suspend the membership of 294 of its members.