This is due to the Samagi Jathika Balawegaya being accepted by the Election Commission and as these two hold positions in this new party.
In addition, the UNP leadership has also decided to take disciplinary action against the other UNP-MPS who hold posts in this new party.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has taken steps to form the Samagi Jana Balawegaya based on the Ape Jathika Peramuna political party.
Sajith Premadasa has been proposed as the Chairman of the Ape Jathika Peramuna under the heart symbol and the Election Commission has accepted the name.
Further, Ranjith Maddumabandara’s name had been proposed as the General Secretary of this new party which was accepted by the Election Commission.
The Party Central Corking Committee had also approved of this name.
Whose is the Ape Jathika Peramuna?
The Election Commissioner General Saman Sri Ratnayake had notified the party through a letter that the names proposed for the party’s Chairman and General Secretary had been accepted.
The former Chairman of the Ape Jathika Peramuna was Senaka de Silva and its General Secretary was former Provincial Councillor Dayana Gamage.
That party was formed by former Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera’s Media Secretary Ruwan Ferdinandes. He was the party’s original General Secretary.
UNP opposition for the UNP name
Meanwhile, the Legal Secretary of the UNP Attorney Nishshanka Nanayakkara had notified the Election Commission yesterday not to register the party named Samagi Jathika Balawegaya.
The letter further states:
The English translation for this party reads as United National Power, which in short is UNP.
This is similar to the United National Party (UNP).
Therefore, he had said that if this new party is registered it would also have the short form UNP which is the same as the United National Party and urged the Election Commission not to register this party.
The UNP had appealed to the Election Commission not to register any party which would have the short-form of their party’s name as the UNP.
Nanayakkara had also urged that in the process of changing the name of a party if the English translation amounts to the same short form as the United National Party short form the UNP, that the Election Commission should not accept such changes.
