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New Deputy Speaker vote today after Siyambalapitiya’s resignation accepted

04 May 2022

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa has accepted the letter of resignation tendered by Deputy Speaker of Parliament Ranjith Siyambalapitiya, Speaker of Parliament Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena conveyed to the House yesterday (4), in response to a question raised by Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella. Accordingly, a new Deputy Speaker will be voted in today (5), he said further. Earlier this month, the Sri Lanka Freedom Party parliamentary group decided that its 14 lawmakers, including former President Maithripala Sirisena would sit independently in Parliament. Consequently, Siyambalapitiya informed the President of his intention to resign as Deputy Speaker. However, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa refused to accept Siyambalapitiya’s letter of resignation, stating that parliamentary democracy needed to be maintained in this matter. As the post of the Deputy Speaker of Parliament is an independent appointment, and taking into account the need to continue the parliamentary proceedings amidst the present situation, President Rajapaksa had told Siyambalapitiya that his resignation would be dismissed. Delivering a special statement in the House on 8 April, Siyambalapitiya said he would remain in his position only until the end of April.


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