The Court of Appeal (CA) yesterday (7) dismissed the petition filed by Minister, Dr. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe seeking to suspend the interim injunction issued by the Colombo District Court (DC) preventing him from functioning as the Acting Chairperson of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Rajapakshe was appointed as the Acting Chairperson of the SLFP during an Executive Committee meeting held on 21 April, by the Party’s faction led by former President and former Chairperson (his holding of the said post was suspended by way of a Court order) and incumbent Opposition Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena.

On 24 April, the Colombo DC issued an injunction order preventing Rajapakshe from functioning as the Acting Chairperson of the SLFP.

The Court has also issued an injunction order preventing Opposition MP Sarathie Dushmantha Mithrapala from functioning as the Acting General Secretary of the SLFP. Meanwhile, the Court had issued another injunction preventing the implementation of the decisions taken by Mithrapala.

The Colombo District Judge issued these injunctions after considering a plaint submitted by Minister Mahinda Amaraweera, State Minister Lasantha Alagiyawanna, and Opposition MP Duminda Dissanayake.

It was mentioned in the order that these injunctions will remain in effect until today (8). 

However, Rajapakshe had later filed a petition with the CA, seeking to invalidate the recent order issued by the Colombo DC preventing him from functioning as the Acting Chairperson of the SLFP.