The Court of Appeal today issued a summons to State Minister Sanath Nishantha, ordering him to show cause as to why he should not be punished for contempt of court.

Accordingly, Sanath Nishantha was ordered to appear before the Court of Appeal personally on October 13.

The Court of Appeal made this order pursuant to a contempt of court application filed by the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka (JSASL), the sole organization representing all the District Court Judges and Magistrates in the country.

The JSASL President, Magistrate Prasanna Alwis, and its Secretary, Additional District Judge Pasan Manoj Amarasena, filed this application, naming State Minister Sanath Nisantha as the respondent.

The petitioners are seeking an order to punish State Minister Sanath Nishantha for the offence of contempt of court.