Book publisher sues Publishers' Association

Wasantha Ramanayake

COLOMBO: Colombo District Judge Anura C. Ranasinghe will today inquire into the action filed by Wijesuriya Publishers preventing the Book Publishers Association from holding the Colombo International Book Fair scheduled to begin on Saturday (16). Plaintiff Wijesuriya Publishers cited the Book Publishers Association and 12 other book publishers as defendants.

When the case was called for support yesterday, Junior Counsel for the petitioner moved to support the matter for today since the senior counsel was indisposed.

He submitted that the petitioner would be satisfied even if the defendants would allocate space outside the main exhibition hall.

The counsel for the defendants submitted that all 446 stalls had been allocated and contracts had been signed and defendants were unable to provide space to the petitioner since there were no cancellations. The plaintiff stated that it had been unlawfully denied a space for a book stall in the premises of the book fair at the BMICH by the defendants.

The petitioner stated that he had on eight occasions participated in the exhibition. However, it had been critical of the association's high prices of books that could not be afforded by the majority and subsequently withdrew from the organisation.

The plaintiff stated that the non allocation of space at the exhibition premises was arbitrary and malicious and would cause irreparable loss and damage.

The case resumes today.