Pivithuru Hela Urumaya General Secretary Udaya Gammanpila filed a motion in the Colombo Fort Magistrate's Court seeking permission to travel to India on October 13 for a Buddhist seminar.

The Fort Magistrate refused the request since the original case for which his passport was impounded has been moved to the Colombo High Court.

The court said that summons have already been issued for Gammanpila from the Colombo High Court and he should therefore make the request from the High Court.

Gammanpila said that the summons have not been received. However, the Magistrate said that since the case was now at the High Court, his request cannot be entertained at the Magistrate's Court.

Gammanpila's request comes days after he accused the government of pro-India stance regarding the SAARC summit.

Gammanpila's passport has been impounded over alleged financial fraud over transactions regarding the shares of an Australian named Brian Shaddick.