• Steadfast on not amending NCM or presenting anew 

The Opposition Parliamentary group is to meet tomorrow (11) to discuss its future course of action against the Government’s continued refusal to allow the no-confidence motion (NCM) against the Speaker of Parliament Dr Jagath Wickramaratne to be debated and the Speaker’s refusal to allow Opposition Parliamentarians to raise related privilege questions in Parliament, Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunatilleka said.

He said that the Government is continuously refusing to allow the NCM to be debated, while the Speaker is also preventing Opposition MPs from raising privilege issues in Parliament. He charged that the conduct is completely contrary to Parliamentary traditions and democracy. 

However, Karunatilleka said that the Opposition had no intention of withdrawing or replacing the NCM already submitted. “We have absolutely no intention of amending the NCM or presenting a new motion. If the Government really wants it, we can remove the word ‘Honourable’ from the words ‘Honourable Speaker’ in the motion that has already been submitted.”  

The NCM in question was submitted on 9 October by 44 Opposition MPs representing the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, the New Democratic Front and independent groups. It alleges violations of several laws, including the Constitution, the Anti-Corruption Act, the Right to Information Act and the Standing Orders of Parliament. 

Deputy Speaker Rizvie Salih meanwhile informed Parliament on 6 November that five privilege questions submitted by Opposition MPs in relation to the NCM had been rejected. The requests, including by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, were found not to establish a prima facie breach of Parliamentary privilege, he said. He said that matters concerning Parliamentary procedure, the Order Book and the scheduling of proceedings could not be treated as breaches of privilege. He also said that no amended version of the NCM had been submitted within the stipulated period after the Committee on Parliamentary Business allowed the Opposition to remove matters considered sub judice.