A court order has been issued preventing several teacher-principal trade union leaders and their members from entering several locations in Colombo, including the Colombo Fort Railway Station, during their protest march today (22 March). 

The order was issued by the Colombo Fort Magistrate’s Court this morning on the General Secretary of the Ceylon Teacher’s Union (CTU) Joseph Stalin, General Secretary of the Ceylon Teacher’s Service Union (CTSU) Mahinda Jayasinghe, Mayura Senanayake and All Island United Teachers’ Union (AITU) Secretary Ven. Yalwela Gnanasekera.

The unions and their members have been prevented from marching towards Galle Face, the Presidential Secretariat, President’s House and the Ministry of Finance through various routes, including Olcott Mawatha, Lotus Road, York Street, Bank of Ceylon Mawatha, Sir Baron Jayathilake Mawatha, Baladaksha Road, Janadhipathi Mawatha, Chaithya Road, and the Galle Road from the Galle Face roundabout to the NSA roundabout. 

The court order will be in effect from 10:00 a.m. until 04:00 p.m. today, Police said, adding that violating the relevant court order will be deemed a punishable offence under Section 185 of the Penal Code of Sri Lanka.