Government MPs stage walkout over Select Committee

1130

The Parliament reconvened this morning and the composition of Select Committee was announced by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya.

The Speaker informed the house that the committee will be comprised of 5 members each from the United National Front and United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) while one member each will be represented by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) and the Tamil National Alliance (TNA).

However, the Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena, speaking afterwards, stated that they object and will not accept the decision not to allocate a majority of number of members in the committee to the ruling party.

Minister Wimal Weerawansa also addressed the parliament and voiced their disapproval regarding the matter as MPs of the government subsequently staged a walkout in protest.

The MPs of the ruling party walked out from the Chamber as the Speaker commenced an electronic vote on the nominees to the Parliamentary Select Committee.

UPFA – Dinesh Gunawardena
S.B. Dissanayake
Nimal Siripala de Silva
Mahinda Samarasinghe
Wimal Weerawansa

UNFLakshman Kiriella
Rauff Hakeem
Rishad Bathiudeen
Mano Ganesan
Patali Champika Ranawaka

JVP – Vijitha Herath

TNA – Mavai Senathirajah