Court prevents group from summoning PNM meetings

By Susitha R. Fernando
The Colombo District Court yesterday issued an enjoining order preventing Ven. Dambara Amila Thera and a group of executive committee members of the Patriotic National Movement from summoning meetings and conducting news conferences under the name banner of the movement.

Colombo District Judge Sisira Ratnayake issued the order following a case filed by Dr. Gunadasa Amerasekara of the PNM.

Dr. Amerasekara cited PNM executive members Ven. Amila Thera, P. T. Hassan, Dr. Sayakkara Jayawardena and Vinnie Hettigoda as defendants.

Counsel Roland Perera and Chandima Mendis instructed by Marlon Rajapaksa supporting the application told court it had initiated disciplinary inquiries against Ven. Amila Thera and others relating to some of their conduct and that their memberships were to be suspended. They have already been asked to show cause over some actions committed by them, the counsel said.

He said despite these disciplinary inquiries against them, the defendants have been summoning meetings and news conferences on behalf of the PNM. Further the defendants had organized a convention at National Youth Council in Maharagama yesterday on behalf of the PNM.

Following the submissions made by the plaintiffs, the court issued an enjoining order preventing them from summoning meetings on behalf of the PNM and taking part in executive committee meetings. The case will be taken up on June 27.