The Supreme Court in a historic judgment on Tuesday (5) ruled that expulsion of former United National Party (UNP) General Secretary, Tissa Attanayake, from parliamentary seat is invalid as due process was not followed.
The judgement was delivered, when a petition filed by former Health Minister Attanayake, was taken up for hearing. The petition was filed on March 6 challenging the cancellation of Attanayake’s party membership by the UNP Central Committee.
M.U.M.Ali Sabry with Kaushalya Molligoda and Ruwantha Coorey instructed by Athula De Silva appeared on behalf of the petitioner.
Romesh De Silva with Sugath Caldera and Eraj De Silva appeared on behalf of the UNP.
Ronald Perera with Suren Fernando appeared for the leader of the UNP while Ikram Mohamed PC with Saadi Wadood appeared on behalf of the party General secretary.
The former UNP General Secretary, who pledged support to then President Mahinda Rajapaksa ahead of the Presidential Election in January, was expelled from the party following a decision taken by the its working committee.
On February 11, Attanayake was released on bail after being arrested on criminal charges of falsifying a document.
Attanayake, who was made Health Minister for less than three weeks after he defected from the UNP, is accused of fabricating the document to discredit President Maithripala Sirisena and Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.
