The Court of Appeal yesterday (10) issued an interim injunction suspending the election of the Basnayake Nilame of the Sabaragamuwa Maha Saman Devalaya in Ratnapura, which was scheduled to be held today (11).

The injunction was issued after considering a petition filed by S.V. Chandrasinghe, who had been appointed as the Temporary Chief Custodian of the Devalaya, and the order will remain in effect until 20 February.

The order was issued after considering the facts presented by attorney-at-law Chamara Nanayakkarawasam, who appeared on behalf of the petitioner, stating that the manner in which the relevant election was being held was unlawful.

Earlier, the Court also imposed an injunction preventing the implementation of a decision taken by the Commissioner General of Buddhist Affairs to appoint Chandrasinghe as the Temporary Chief Custodian of the Devalaya, after considering a petition filed by the former Basnayake Nilame Migara Jayasundara, the President of the Forum of Basnayake Nilames Hemantha Bandara and its Secretary Priyantha Bandara Jayasundara.