MR, two others file objections against amended plaint

Three defendants including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa who had been named as a defendant in connection with the alleged defaulting of a sum of Rs.142 million owed to the Sri Lanka Transport Board (SLTB), whose buses were used to transport people to election rallies of the former President during the 2015-Presidential Election campaign, yesterday filed objections against the ammended plaint filed the by SLTB.

Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, presidential election committee members Gamini Senarath and Amal Senadhilankara were among the respondents who filed objections against the amended petition.

Commercial High Court Judge Shiran Gunaratne directed the United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA) and Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) file their objections on May 23.

On a previous occasion the SLTB had decided to exclude Minister Susil Premajayantha and Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa from the defendant list .

According to the amended plaint SLTB has named five UPFA 20015-presidential election committee members, including former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, United Peoples Freedom Alliance (UPFA), Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), election committee members Gamini Senarath and Amal Senadhilankara as respondents.

The SLTB had earlier named seven parties including SLFP former general secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and UPFA General Secretary Susil Premajayantha as defendants.

The plaintiff said the UPFA had hired buses from the SLTB for the January , 2015 Presidential Election rallies but had failed to settle the payments after obtaining the services.

(Source: Daily News – By Lakmal Sooriyagoda)