- Motion yet to be officially filed
- Parliamentary Sec. Gen. confirms delay
- AG not informed of legal concerns
- Allegations of failure during Easter Sunday attacks
The no-confidence motion against Deputy Minister of Defence Maj. Gen. (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara, which was handed over to Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne by the Opposition led by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) last week, has not been officially filed and has not been subject to parliamentary procedure yet, The Sunday Morning reliably learns.
This was confirmed by Secretary General of Parliament Kushani Rohanadeera, who told The Sunday Morning: “The no-confidence motion has not been included in the parliamentary Order Book yet.”
The motion insists that Jayasekara, who served as Security Forces Commander of the Eastern Province in 2019, had failed to prevent the Easter Sunday terrorist bombings carried out by the National Thowheed Jamaath (NTJ), which was based in the east.
Therefore it argues that an impartial probe into the terror attacks is impossible while he continues to function as Deputy Minister of Defence.
However, The Sunday Morning also learns that a procedural issue has arisen regarding parliamentary tradition.
It has been argued that a no-confidence motion cannot be moved against a deputy minister, since executive powers are vested in Cabinet ministers.
High-level Government sources said that this matter had been discussed in Parliament, causing the delay in including the motion in the Order Book.
According to the sources, there is no legal barrier, but rather, it is a procedural and traditional issue.
Parliamentary Secretary General Rohanadeera declined to comment further on the matter.
Meanwhile, Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe, PC, when contacted, said he had not been notified of any legal issue, as no documents relating to the motion had been referred to him.
The motion accuses Jayasekara of failing to act during his tenure as Security Forces Commander of the Eastern Province, where the process leading to the Easter Sunday attacks originated, despite his position of responsibility.
He is also charged with dereliction of duty, failing to act properly during related investigations, and posing a potential impediment to future investigative efforts.
It further notes that, despite serving as a Deputy Minister in a Government that came to power promising justice for the victims of the Easter Sunday attacks, Jayasekara has failed to deliver.
Since he has allegedly failed in his duties while in the military and now holds a ministerial role in the present Government, the Catholic Church has expressed concerns that his presence could interfere with ongoing investigations. The church believes this could undermine their credibility and hinder justice.
In a statement made in Parliament on 9 July, Jayasekara acknowledged that a small group within the intelligence community, along with a few Government officials, had been used to achieve political ends. This suggested that he had knowledge of those officers.
As Deputy Minister of Defence, serving in a Government that is overseeing Easter Sunday investigations through the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs, concerns have been raised about potential conflicts of interest, undue influence, and bias.
For these reasons, the motion proposes Jayasekara’s removal from the post of Deputy Minister of Defence, claiming that his continued presence undermines the integrity and independence of the investigations.
The Catholic Church has repeatedly voiced serious concerns about his role, warning that political interference could compromise the credibility of the investigations.
Attempts made to contact Speaker Wickramaratne, Chief Government Whip Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, and Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake were unsuccessful.