The No Confidence Motion (NCM) presented against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena in Parliament has been defeated by a majority of 42 votes.

The No Confidence Motion against the Speaker was taken up for a vote today after a three day debate.

During the vote, 117 Parliamentarians had voted against the NCM, while 75 had voted in favour, while there were no abstentions. 

Following the announcement of the defeat of the NCM, Speaker Mahinda Yapa assumed the Speaker’s seat in Parliament and delivered a statement. 

In February, opposition parties, under the leadership of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, signed an NCM against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene.

The NCM was brought against the Speaker for approving the Online Safety Bill in violation of Supreme Court conditions. (NewsWire)

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The No-Confidence Motion (NCM) presented against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena will be taken up for a 2-day debate in Parliament next week.

The Committee on Parliamentary Business has decided to take up for debate the NCM against the Speaker on 19 and 20 March 2024. 

As per the decision taken during a meeting held today, the vote on the NCM will be held at 04.30 pm on March 20, 2024. 

In February, opposition parties, under the leadership of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, signed an NCM against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene.

The NCM was brought against the Speaker for approving the Online Safety Bill in violation of Supreme Court conditions. (NewsWire)

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Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka MP Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena has brought to the attention of the Parliament concerns raised regarding the growing tendency to criticize government officials holding high posts on various occasions by some Members of Parliament.

Addressing the Parliament today (Mar 05), the Speaker announced that it has been brought to the attention of the Members of Parliament that there has been a growing tendency to criticize government officials holding high posts without any basis and on unverifiable grounds on various occasions in Parliament by some MPs for their personal interests by referring official decisions and works of such officials.

“Thus, in many cases, such baseless statements damage the reputation and professional dignity of the said public officials, and I observe that the said officials do not get an opportunity to respond regarding such statements. Hence, they are subject to severe injustice and discouragement,” the Speaker said.

Furthermore, the Speaker specifically mentioned that those officials have made complaints in writing to him expressing their deep concern regarding such statements.

“If there are criticisms regarding government officials, I would like to emphasize that they can be summoned before the Parliament to inquire about such matters and necessary action can be taken, and therefore all Members of Parliament are informed hereby that they should refrain from making baseless accusations on such officials in this House. Further, I would like to inform that such defamatory or abusive statements will also be expunged from the Hansard Report as per the provisions of the Standing Order 91(g),” the Speaker added. (NewsWire)

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Several political parties have extended their support to the No Confidence Motion (NCM) presented against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. 

The main opposition, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) presented the NCM against the Speaker of the Parliament for approving the Online Safety Bill in violation of Supreme Court conditions.

On Monday (Feb 26), Opposition parties, under the leadership of Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa signed the NCM against the Speaker.

SJB-affiliated parties, the Tamil National Alliance (TNA), MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake-led National Peoples Power (NPP), and the Wimal Weerawansa – Udaya Gammanpila Coalition led by MP Dullas Alahapperuma have all extended their support for the NCM. 

The Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP)- led by former President Maithripala Sirisena has also extended its support, but it is unclear what the SLFP members in the government would do. 

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) leader Mahinda Rajapaksa says he along with his party will support the Speaker, and reject the No Confidence Motion. (NewsWire)

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A group of Sri Lankan LGBTIQ+ community representatives met with the Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana this week (Feb 12).

According to a Parliament statement, the objective of this meeting was to draw the attention of the Speaker to the Private Member Bill brought in by Parliamentarian Premnath C. Dolawatte to amend Sections 365 and 365A of the Penal Code of Sri Lanka.

The LGBTIQ+ community representatives and the Speaker also had a discussion at length regarding the issues faced by the LGBTIQ+ community living in Sri Lanka.

Meet by NextGenSL, an all-party youth organization assisted in organizing this meeting with the Speaker. (NewsWire)

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All meetings of the Parliamentary Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) have been cancelled until further notice, the Parliament was informed today (Nov 17).

The announcement was made by the Speaker of the House Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena. 

The Speaker further said that the COPE Committee will not be convened until issues concerning its Chairman are resolved.

He added that the final decision on the COPE Committee will be taken by its members who are vested with the necessary powers and as per Parliament protocol. 

The decision was announced after Opposition Leader MP Sajith Premadasa had alleged that the COPE Committee had convened a meeting at 01.00 pm today, knowing that it was a time at which two of its Muslim members S.M. Marikkar and Rauf Hakeem could not attend. 

MP Premadasa accused the COPE Chairman of having purposefully called for the COPE members meeting knowing that these two members cannot attend due to Friday prayers. 

Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella also requested the Speaker to provide a proper solution to the issues concerning the COPE Committee, urging not to make it political.

Responding to the claims, the Speaker announced that all meetings of the COPE Committee have been cancelled until further notice.

Concerns have been raised in the recent past on the actions of the COPE Committee Chairman Prof. Ranjith Bandara, especially concerning Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC). 

He was accused of signalling SLC representatives to allegedly refrain from disclosing information during a recent COPE Committee meeting, while it was also revealed that a private firm headed by him had offered its services to the SLC between 2017 and 2018.

Prof. Ranjith Bandara’s son Kanishka Bandara was also found to have attended the recent COPE meeting with the SLC resulting in the Opposition raising serious concerns over the matter and a violation of their Parliamentary privileges. (NewsWire)

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Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today announced in Parliament the list of members nominated by the Committee of Selection to serve in the Committee on Public Finance (COPF) in the fourth session of the Ninth Parliament.

Announcing the names of the members, the Speaker stated that they have been nominated to serve in the Committee on Public Finance, in terms of the provisions of the Standing Order 121 of Parliament and the motion agreed to by Parliament on this day.

Accordingly, MPs Vidura Wickramanayaka, Nalin Fernando, Shehan Semasinghe, Premitha Bandara Tennakoon, (Dr.) (Mrs.) Seetha Arambepola, (Dr.) Suren Raghavan, Anupa Pasqual, Johnston Fernando, Wajira Abeywardana, Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Duminda Dissanayake, Nimal Lanza, U. K. Sumith Udukumbura, Isuru Dodangoda, Premnath C. Dolawatte, Attorney at Law,  M. W. D. Sahan Pradeep Withana, Madhura Withanage, and (Prof.) Ranjith Bandara have been nominated to serve on the Committee on Public Finance.

Accordingly, 18 members from the ruling party have been nominated for the Public Finance Committee. Names of 10 opposition members are yet to be named. (NewsWire)

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