UNP suspends membership of another 37 LG members

The United National Party (UNP) has suspended the membership of another 37 Local Government (LG) members.

The UNP said that the membership was suspended as they had supported other political parties at the upcoming Parliamentary election.

The United National Party this week?expelled 54 of its members?who had obtained nominations under the Samagi Jana Balawegaya for the 05 August General Elections.

The UNP Working Committee also expelled another 61 Local Government members for not supporting the party during the ongoing election campaign.

Meanwhile, former Parliamentarian Ranjan Ramanayake filed a case before the Colombo District Court challenging the decision by the UNP to suspend his party membership.

UNP leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, Deputy Leader Ravi Karunanayake and UNP General Secretary Akila Viraj Kariyawasam have been cited as the respondents in the case.

On 29 May, the UNP working committee?suspended the membership of 102 party members, who had submitted nominations from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) for the upcoming General Election.

In June, the Colombo District Court rejected to issue an injunction order requested by the SJB on the UNP?s decision to suspend the 102 members.

Thereafter, the Civil Appeal High Court of the Western Province?rejected without a hearing the appeal?submitted by General Secretary of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Ranjith Madduma Bandara against the rejection of the UNP memberships of members from the SJB.?(Colombo Gazette)