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Welgama UC Chairman to go before SC against UNP

21 May 2021

The Court of Appeal today (21) dismissed a petition filed by Chairman of the Weligama Urban Council, Rehan Wijeratne which challenged the attempt by the United National Party (UNP) to dismiss him from his role. Wijeratne stated that he intends to escalate this decision to the Supreme Court (SC) “I intend to immediately appeal this decision to the Supreme Court. I am advised by attorneys representing me in this matter, Presidents Counsels Mr. Faiz Mustapha and Farman Cassim, that the necessary papers will be ready shortly,” he said. According to Wijeratne, he had recently received a telephone call from a senior office bearer of the UNP who conveyed that the Party would cease its attempts to strip him of his position provided that he issues a public apology to Ranil Wickremesinghe over comments made which questioned his leadership of the UNP. “I informed this senior UNP office bearer that notwithstanding any legal threats or intimidation, under no circumstances will I apologize to Mr. Wickremesinghe for accurately and faithfully representing to him the concerns and heartfelt views of the UNP voters who elected me to the Weligama UC in 2018,” he stressed. Wijeratne is of the opinion that the UNP’s insistence on retaining Wickremesinghe as its leader has caused the party to lose over 100 seats in Parliament and many of its most senior and capable leaders. He also noted that in the event that all available legal remedies are exhausted during his efforts to prevent the UNP from removing him from his position, he will resign from the position. “It is disheartening that with all the challenges to our democracy mounted by the government amidst a public health crisis, the UNP remains focused on petty vendettas and subverting the democratic will of the people of Weligama. They may succeed in stripping me of my position and handing control of the UC to the government, however no one will succeed at stopping me from standing for the truth and doing what is right for my constituents, regardless of the political price I may have to pay,” he concluded.


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