Complaint against Wigneshwaran - Court reserves order until December 10th

The Appeal Court decided yesterday to fix December 10th as the date for the announcement of the decision on the primary objection raised regarding the complaint lodged against the Chief Minister of the Northern Province and former Supreme Court Judge C. V. Wigneshwaran for non implementation of an appeal court verdict and thereby committing an act of contempt of court.

This order was made by the Appellate Court Judges Kumudini Wickramasinghe and Janak De Silva yesterday considering a complaint lodged by a former Minister of the Northern Provincial Council (NPC) S. Deneeswaran charging that the Chief Minister of the Northern Province had acted in contempt of court.

Deneeswaran who functioned as the Minister of Fisheries of the NPC had filed a petition of writ before the Court of Appeal against his removal from the post of Minister.

The court of appeal considering the appeal issued an interim order on June 29th instructing the Chief Minister to re appoint Deneeswaran as the Minister. The appellant had stated that the Chief Minister had rejected to reappoint him as ordered by courts and thereby had acted in contempt of court. The Court of Appeal which considered the complaint had noticed the Chief Minister, and Ministers Anandi Sasidaran and P. Sivanesan to be present in courts on August 08th.

Attorney PC E. K. Easwaran representing the Chief Minister stated that the court has no jurisdiction to hear the complaint, and therefore objections are being made to that effect.

Deneeswaran in his complaint stated that the Court of Appeal had issued an interim order suspending the Gazette notification regarding his removal from the post of Minister, and reinstate his portfolio. However the Chief Minister had flouted this order and thereby had committed an act of contempt of court.

Attorney Suren Fernando appeared for Deneeswaran.