In response to his removal of the Chairmanship of the Communist Party, Raja Collure stated that the Party has no authority to do the same over a decision taken by him as a Governor. The Communist Party of Sri Lanka, issuing a statement earlier yesterday (24), had announced that Mr Collure has been removed from his position as chairman of the party with immediate effect. The party said that the central committee of the party which convened a meeting yesterday (24) approved the proposal brought forth by the politburo to remove Mr Raja Collure from his Chairmanship portfolio. This was after the Governor had recently said that he was considering slashing the November salary of teachers in the Uva Province who did not report to duty on the 21st of October when schools were initially reopened. He had subsequently come under heavy criticism from trade unions and other groups over these remarks. However, Collure says that according to the constitution of the party, the central committee of the Communist Party of Sri Lanka does not have the authority to take disciplinary action and remove him from the position of Chairman over his actions as the Provincial Governor. He also said that as the Governor of the Uva Province, he was acting on the decision by the Provincial Governors to reopen schools on October 21.