Imthiaz, Pohottuwa rebels left out

The SJB yesterday (12) named SLMC General Secretary Nizam Kariapper on its National List after the latter moved the Colombo District court against the party to prevent filling of NL slots without including President’s Counsel Kariapper.

The SJB named Mano Ganesan, Nizam Kariapper, Sujeewa Senasinghe and Mohamed Ismail for the remaining NL slots. Among those who were left out were Imthiaz Bakeer Markar, Chairman of the SJB as well as Pohottuwa rebels Prof. G. L. Peiris and Dullas Alahapperuma. Both Ganesan and Senasinghe were rejected by the electorate at the general election conducted on Nov 14.

Earlier, the SLMC and SJB clashed over the failure on the part of the latter to include SLMC General Secretary Nizam Kariapper on its National List.

SLMC leader Rauf Hakeem has moved the Colombo District Court against the SJB. The court yesterday (12) issued a restraining order preventing the SJB from filling the four remaining NL slots without including the SLMC’s Nizam Kariapper.

The District Court issued this order after considering a plaint filed by lawmaker Hakeem. MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara had been named as the respondent.

Of the five NL slots that had been secured by the SJB, only one was filled with SJB General Secretary Ranjith Madduma Bandara taking one slot.

The SLMC’s M.S. Naleem, the former Chairman of the Eravur Urban Council was appointed as NL member to fill the slot obtained by the party.The SLMC contested some districts on its own.The SJB obtained seven NL slots at the previous election held in Aug 2020.

Political sources said that in spite of several rounds of talks among political parties and groups that contested on the SJB ticket at the Nov 14 general election, SJB leader Sajith Premadasa couldn’t resolve the dispute. That led to the SLMC moving the District Court of Colombo. (SF)