Rajiva ousted from Liberal Party

The action that Prof. Rajiva Wijesinha had filed before the District Court of Colombo against the Chairperson and the General-Secretary of the Liberal Party and others was withdrawn by him on Thursday. 

He had filed this action seeking among other things to challenge a letter addressed to him by the General-Secretary ousting him from membership of the party. The said letter, sent by the General-Secretary to Prof. Wijesinha sometime prior to the 2015 August general elections, had stated that he ceased to be member of the party, and the District Court of Colombo had earlier issued an enjoining order suspending the operation of the said letter, and had directed the defendants to file their objections, if any, on or before 19 August. 

The Defendants then filed their Statements of Objections and the matter was fixed for 17 September for inquiry. However, Prof. Wijesinha’s counsel informed court on 17 September that he wished to withdraw the said action, and accordingly the Court permitted the withdrawal. With that Prof. Wijesinha’s challenge to the said letter came to an unexpected halt, and thus the letter ousting him has become operative again. 

Nigel Hatch, PC appeared for Prof. Wijesinha while Aravinda R.I. Athurupane appeared for the Chairperson of Liberal Party Swarna Amaratunge and its General Secretary Kamal Nissanka.