District Court Colombo extends enjoining order on ex-MPs Dissanayake and Yogaraja

The District Judge of Colombo Justice Rashantha Godawela, has extended the enjoining orders until 2 November, restraining Naveen Dissanayake and Ramiayya Yogaraja from presenting themselves as the President and the General Secretary of the Lanka Jathika Estate Workers Union (LJEWU).

The plaintiffs MPs Harin Fernando and Vadivel Suresh, the President and General Secretary of LJEWU, stated in the plaint, inter alia, that the defendants Naveen Dissanayake and Ramiayya Yogaraja were illegally and/or unlawfully presenting themselves as the President and the General Secretary of the LJEWU.  The plaintiffs further stated, inter alia, that the defendants had also illegally and/or unlawfully, acted contrary to the constitution of the LJEWU and furthermore, had fraudulently opened a bank account in the name of LJWEU. 

The defendants filed a petition to suspend the enjoining order and the hearing was taken up on the 19 October. The defendants stated, inter alia, that the LJEWU was an affiliated Trade Union of the United National Party (UNP) in terms of the UNP constitution. The defendants stated to court that the plaintiffs had suppressed this fact.  The plaintiffs stated to court that in terms of the constitution of the LJEWU—Articles 02 and 07, that the LJEWU was an independent Trade Union and that Ranil Wickremesinghe had no right to appoint the office bearers of said Trade Union.

The Learned District Judge by the bench order, ejected the objections of the defendants and extended the enjoining order until the 2 November.

Farman Cassim PC with Charaka Jayaratne and Budwin Siriwardena, instructed by Dimuthu Kuruppuarachi appeared for the plaintiffs. Ronald Perera PC with Dushit Jhondasan instructed by Vidananapathirana associates appeared for the defendants.