Two Cases in SC :

Johnston, Indika challenges expulsion

Wasantha RAMANAYAKE

Land, Land Development, Resettlement and Ranaviru Welfare Minister Johnston Fernando and Natural Resources Minister Indika Bandaranayake yesterday filed two cases in the Supreme Court against their expulsions from the UNP.

Petitioner Ministers in their two separate applications cited United National Party, its leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, Parliamentary General Secretary Dhammika Kitulgoda and the Attorney General as respondents.

The petitioners stated that the respondents have maliciously and arbitrarily decided to expel them from the UNP after they had joined the government ranks last year. They alleged that their expulsions were illegal since they were not summoned before the party disciplinary committee nor heard them before being expelled.

The petitioners sought court declarations that expulsion letter dated December 17, 2009 is invalid and declare that they had not ceased to be members of Parliament.

Attorney-at-Law Athula De Silva filed the petitions.