Court halts NEGC’s move to block members’ legal action
Nugegoda Additional Magistrate Suranga Munasinghe issued a stay order preventing the Nuwara Eliya Golf Club (NEGC) from amending and adopting a new regulation that would preclude its members from taking legal action at an upcoming Special General Meeting. The stay order now prevents the NEGC from holding the intended Special General Meeting set for today, October 19, and from taking any further steps until October 30, the date set for the hearing of the case.
The Additional Magistrate ordered twelve members to appear on October 30 at the Nugegoda Magistrate’s Court, including the President, Secretary, and members of the Executive Committee of the NEGC. Maithri Gunaratne PC, with Attorneys-at-Law Kisal Senanayake, Ashan Nanayakkara, Sahiru Jayasinghe, and Charitha Gunaratne, applied for the stay order on behalf of K.N. Rienzie Perera from Kalubowila, while NEGC President P.K. Sudath Kumara, Vice President Suresh Subramaniam, Secretary Nanda Hathurusinghe, and Trustees Srinath Rajapakse and Sunil Jayakody are among the twelve named as respondents.
The respondents, who are part of the present NEGC administration, have been accused of corrupt practices, including the unauthorised felling of large trees within the premises of the golf course, where certain individuals have allegedly benefitted financially. The NEGC has been accused by its members of attempting to introduce a new regulation preventing members from seeking legal assistance or taking legal action against the club. The respondents have been notified of the stay order and the next hearing date via email under the instruction of District Judge Munasinghe.