The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted the interim ban imposed on the Vavuniya Municipal Council and its Mayor S. Kandeepan, allowing the council to resume functioning, while keeping the restriction on Deputy Mayor Parameswaran Karthipan in force.
The Court of Appeal had earlier issued an interim order halting council activities and restraining both the Mayor and the Deputy Mayor from acting in their positions, following a writ petition filed by the National People’s Power (NPP) challenging Karthipan’s election to the deputy post.
Hearing the appeal against that order, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Janak de Silva, Sobitha Rajakaruna and Menaka Wijesundara annulled the restrictions on the council and the Mayor, holding that a body elected by the people cannot be kept paralysed for long periods.
The bench also directed that if Deputy Mayor Karthipan voluntarily resigns while the petition is pending, the Municipal Council Secretary must accept the resignation and cannot refuse on the ground that the case is sub judice.
President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran appeared for the Vavuniya Municipal Council and Mayor Kandeepan, with President’s Counsel Nizam Kariapper for the Deputy Mayor, and President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris for the NPP petitioners.
Source: Newswire.
