SLMC members appear before CA

The members of Sri Lanka Medical Council (SLMC) were yesterday appeared before the Court of Appeal for the second time to show cause why they should not be punished for contempt of Court for their failure to register a student of South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine Limited (SAITM) in Malabe in terms of the Court of Appeal judgment.

However, the matter was fixed for December 7 and the members of the SLMC were advised to appear in Court on next hearing date as well.

President’s Counsel Manohara de Silva appearing on behalf of accused party informed Court that he is expecting to raise preliminary objections against this case on next mention date.

The Court of Appeal Bench comprised Justice (President) Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Arjuna Obeysekara.

Filing a contempt of court action against SLMC, petitioner Dhilmi Kasunda Suriyarachchi, a MBBS graduate of the SAITM moved court that the members of the SLMC be charged for committing the offences of contempt of court by willfully and contumaciously failing to provisionally register petitioner as a medical practitioner in terms of Section 29(2) of the Medical Ordinance and thereby disobeying the order of the Court of Appeal dated January 31, 2017.

The petitioner stated that to date the SLMC and its members have failed, neglected and refused to comply with the judgment of Court of Appeal which was affirmed by Supreme Court and provisionally register her as a medical practitioner.

On September 21, the Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal judgment dated January 31, 2017 regarding a legal issue pertaining to the SAITM and ordered the SLMC to pay Rs.100,000 as legal cost to a petitioner Dhilmi Kasunda Suriyarachchi, a student of SAITM in Malabe for unnecessarily delaying and refusing to register her as a medical practitioner.

President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva with Counsel Sugath Caldera, Shanaka Cooray and Niran Ankatel appeared for the petitioner.

President’s Counsel Manohara de Silva with Gamini Marapana PC and Counsel Navin Marapana appeared for the respondents.