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GMOA elects office bearers; no polls for disputed posts
Elections to the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA), one of Sri Lanka’s most powerful trade unions, went ahead as planned yesterday amidst a ding-dong court battle among three factions and despite a last-
minute attempt to suspend the poll.
GMOA elections went ahead despite a last-minute attempt to suspend the poll. Pic by M.D. Nissanka
An order suspending the election was issued on Wednesday (June 25) by the Mount Lavinia District Court, but the association decided to go ahead with the poll based on legal advice, lawyers for the GMOA said.
The election of office bearers, sans two disputed positions, of the GMOA commenced at 8 a.m., said Dr. D.C. Rajapaksa of the GMOA’s Election Committee. Polling ended at 4 p.m.
The run-up to the poll has been marred by disputes between different factions, one led by current President Dr. Anuruddha Padeniya and two other groups contesting the poll. Dr. Padeniya is seeking re-election.
The to-and-fro legal battle arose after one anti-Padeniya faction won an enjoining order from the Colombo District Court (DC) on June 17 against Dr. Harsha Atapattu, contesting the election for the post of Vice President from the Padeniya-led faction.
The ex-parte order against him was issued on the grounds that he was ineligible due to being a member of another trade union, the Association of Medical Specialists (AMS). Subsequently, at another Colombo DC hearing the GMOA wanted the enjoining order vacated but the plea was refused. Further hearing in this case was fixed for Monday, June 30.
However on Thursday, the GMOA, in a new move, sought the intervention of the High Court of Civil Appeal to vacate the enjoining order against Dr. Atapattu. The matter was discussed by court the following day with both parties noticed to appear and it was agreed that only the election to the Vice Presidents’ posts would not be held. Yesterday, in line with the court decision, no election was held for the Vice Presidents’ posts. The case was put off for July 25.
Lawyers for the GMOA say that at no stage – in the proceedings in the Colombo District Court and the High Court of Civil Appeal – was any order given to suspend the election.
Meanwhile, a third faction entered the scene and on Wednesday, June 25, just three days before the election, successfully moved the Mount Lavinia DC to issue an enjoining order to suspend the GMOA elections. They cited irregularities in the process of the election as well as non-adherence to the Colombo DC order. The next hearing of this case was fixed for July 9.
The petitioners who sought the intervention of the Mount Lavinia DC are Dr. Niroshana Premaratne (who is contesting the GMOA Presidency), Dr. Ruchira Saranapala (contesting as Secretary), Dr. Mahima Gunasekera, Dr. (Mrs.) Eshanthi Abeyratne and Dr. S. Sivapriyan. Their petition was supported in court by lawyers Lankathilaka and Pathmabandara with the instructing attorney being S. de Costa.
On Friday evening, when the Mount Lavinia DC order was delivered to the GMOA Elections Committee, the latter – based on legal advice – decided to go ahead with the poll.
Dr. Padeniya President for 3rd time with landslide win
Dr Anurudha Padeniya was re-elected President of the Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) for the third time, at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held yesterday at the Organisation of Professional Association auditorium. Dr Padeniya won a landslide victory polling 2,660 votes against his opponent Dr N. Premarathne who received 138 votes.
The AGM had an unusually high attendance this year, with over 2,000 members present for elections to 30 posts in the Association. Dr Lasantha Jinadasa was elected Secretary, while Dr Nath Wijesooriya was elected Treasurer. Elections for the post of Vice President was not held due to a court ruling.