By APD writer Easwaran

COLOMBO, Dec. 4 (APD) -- A Sri Lankan court on Monday issued an interim order against newly appointed Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa and his cabinet.

The Appeal Court issued notice and an interim order against Mahinda Rajapaksa and his Government, preventing Them from acting as Prime Minister, Cabinet and Deputy Ministers.

The order was issued in a Quo Warranto case filed by 122 Parliamentarians against Rajapaksa and his new Government.

The respondents were ordered to show by what authority They hold office.

The Court of Appeal ordered 49 members of The new cabinet to appear in court on December 12th to respond to The petition.

The petition was signed by 122 Parliamentarians claiming that Rajapaksa has no support in Parliament to be Prime Minister.

The petitioners had urged The Court of Appeal to rule against Rajapaksa’s appointment.

President Maithripala Sirisena appointed Rajapaksa as Prime Minister after sacking Then Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe on October 26th.

Wickremesinghe and The United National Front (UNF) as well as The Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC), Tamil National Alliance (TNA) and Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) challenged The appointment saying it was unconstitutional.

They also noted that Rajapaksa lost a no-confidence vote in Parliament.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)