The Parliamentary Business Committee has decided to hold the debate on the no-confidence motion (NCM) against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody on 10 April, according to the Parliament’s Communications Department.

The NCM against Jayakody, signed by Opposition Parliamentarians, was handed over to the Speaker of Parliament yesterday (19). 

The motion claims that Jayakody has failed to discharge his primary duty to ensure the procurement of sufficient and quality coal for the Lakvijaya Coal Power Plant in Norochcholai, and that such gross negligence in overseeing a critical national energy asset constitutes a fundamental breach of responsibility of a Minister. They also point out that Jayakody has been formally charged before the Colombo High Court by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption under Section 70 of the Anti-Corruption Act for committing an ‘‘act of corruption’‘ while serving as the Procurement Manager of the Ceylon Fertiliser Company Limited.

Accordingly, Opposition MPs, including Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, had signed the motion of no-confidence on Wednesday (18).