Appellate court grants interim relief on quo warranto against MR and cabinet

The Court of Appeal issuing a verdict a short while ago has decided to issue an interim injunction on the quo warranto petition filed against Mahinda Rajapaksa and his cabinet.

The interim relief was granted after court had considered submissions presented by both parties in the case. While issuing the verdict, court had said that irreversible damage could be caused if unentitled individuals occupy the positions of Prime Minister and cabinet ministers.

The interim order would mean that Rajapaksa and his cabinet of ministers will not be entitled to serve in their positions of Prime Minister and cabinet ministers until a final order is issued by the courts. 

Acccordingly, the petition will be heard before the Court of Appeal on December 12 and 13.

During the hearing today, President’s counsel’s Kushan D’Alwis & Ali Sabry appearing on behalf of the respondents had continued to raise technical objections regarding the validity of the Hansard.

The petition was filed by United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe including 122 MPs of the UNP, JVP, TNA and SLMC while former President Rajapaksa and 48 others were cited as respondents in the case.

The case is being heard before a two member trial-at bar comprising Appellate court President Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justice Arjuna Obeysekara.