May 17, Colombo: A Sri Lankan court has issued an order banning a protest planned by the Marxist party, Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna affiliated student union, Inter University Students Federation (IUSF) and the Student Activists Committee of the Medical Faculty in Colombo.

However, the convener of the student union Lahiru Weerasekara said they would proceed with the protest march as planned.

Colombo Chief Magistrate Lal Ranasinghe issued the order following a request made by Police stating that the protest will lead to hindrances to peace and daily activities of the public.

The protest march is to begin in this afternoon from the Fort Railway Station.

The IUSF is demanding the government to close all private universities including the South Asian Institute of Technology and Medicine, Open University and the Kothalawela Defense University.

The student union wants the government to allocate 6 percent of GDP to education, rectify university admission shortages, and stop selling government organizations among their demands.