Expulsion for SLFPers evading punishment
By Uditha Kumarasinghe
Petroleum Resources Development Minister Chandima Weerakkody said if
anyone failed to abide by the SLFP Disciplinary Committee decision, he
or she could be immediately removed from party membership. The
disciplinary committee, the Minister said, could take an ex parte
decision as in a court of law, depending on the circumstances.
“The SLFP Central Committee is resolute that it has to maintain party
discipline at all cost and a special disciplinary committee will look
into cases of violation of discipline,” the Minister told the Sunday
Observer.
The Minister said “If anyone wants to take legal action there has to
be a basis for it. People can’t resort to legal action without a valid
reason. The judiciary is independent. Any person is free to go before
Courts and seek relief. However, wrongdoers will not be protected by the
judiciary,” he added.
SLFP Senior Vice President and Labour and Trade Unions Relations
Minister W.D.J. Senewiratne said the SLFP Central Committee had decided
to take disciplinary action against SLFPers who set fire to letters sent
to them by the party General Secretary and those who hooted at the party
headquarters during the the Joint Opposition’s Paada Yathra.
“The Central Committee also decided to take action against SLFP
Puttalam District MP Sanath Nishantha for insulting the party and
President Maithripala Sirisena when he said he did not accept President
Sirisena’s party leadership,” the Minister said.
”A proposal was brought before the Central Committee to identify
those who violated party discipline and not against those who
participated in the Paada Yathra,” he added.
Meanwhile, MP Sanath Nishantha told the Sunday Observer that he will
seek relief through legal acton if he is suspended from the Party. “They
cannot just throw us out of the party. My family has shed blood in the
name of this party. The so-called party members who go from one party to
another like seasonal birds cannot dictate our fate in the party. I will
go before the Supreme Court if and when the need arises,” he said. |