The Colombo District Court this afternoon rejected the petitions submitted seeking the reinstatement of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Chairman of the Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP).

Two former Central Committee members of the SLFP; Aruna Priyashantha and Asanka Srinath filed the petition seeking to reinstate former President Mahinda Rajapaksa as Chairman of the SLFP.

The petitioners had named SLFP General Secretary Duminda Dissanayake, former General Secretary Anura Priyadarshana Yapa and Elections Commissioner Mahinda Deshapriya as respondents.

On January 16, 2015 President Maithripala Sirisena took over as Chairman of the SLFP after the Central Committee of the party unanimously decided to appoint him to the position after former President Mahinda Rajapaksa agreed to handover the position.