Sri Lanka state media institution files objections against court order to pay Rs. 500 million to UNP MP

Sri Lanka's state owned media institution, Lake House, has reportedly filed objections against the order delivered by the Colombo District Court last week requiring the institution to pay a sum of Rs. 500 million in damages to UNP Parliamentarian Wijedasa Rajapakse in a defamation case filed by him.

The order to pay Rs. 500 million is an ex parte verdict delivered by the Court, enabling Lake House to file objections within a period of 14 days.

Rajapakse has been quoted as saying that once Lake House forwards its application, the Court would hold an inquiry and decide if an inter party trial needed to be held or the ex parte verdict could be the final verdict.

Rajapakse has explained that the defamation case had been filed against an article published on November 18, 2007 by the Sinhala weekend newspaper, Silumina published by Lake House.

He said the article published a few days after his crossover to the opposition from the government had condemned him and even brought contempt on the judiciary and parliament.

Lake House Chairman, Bandula Padmakumara meanwhile has said that Lake House has filed objections and he was unable to comment further as the matter was before Court.