Court prevents Sri Lanka opposition from taking action against Muslim Congress

A Sri Lankan court today extended the enjoining order preventing the main opposition United National Party (UNP) from taking disciplinary action against several members of the major Muslim party, Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC).


The Colombo District Court has extended the enjoining order preventing the UNP from taking action against eight SLMC members including party leader, Justice Minister Rauf Hakeem. The courts order was extended till March 30.

The defendants have said the UNP did not have the mandate to take disciplinary action against them as they were not members of the UNP.

The SLMC, which contested the April 2010 general elections as a constituent partner of the UNP-led United National Front, voted with the Government in supporting the 18th Amendment to the Constitution while remaining with the opposition led by Ranil Wickremasinghe.

The UNP decided to take disciplinary action against eight SLMC members who were elected to parliament at the general election after contesting in alliance with the UNP.

The main opposition decision was prompted when the SLMC members crossed over to the government last year. The party officially crossed over to the government side in last November.

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