Government MP Dr. Najith Indika says the government parliamentary group has not been officially informed of any meeting in Parliament on Thursday involving the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) to brief all MPs on the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution.
Indika said he was in Parliament on Wednesday and was unaware of any such programme involving all parliamentarians.
He said a briefing involving all MPs would normally have to follow established parliamentary procedures, including discussions involving the Speaker, Leader of the House and the Committee on Parliamentary Business.
According to Indika, no such formal process has taken place and the government parliamentary group has not received any official notification.
However, he said there was information about a possible discussion involving the BASL, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and opposition MPs on Thursday.
Meanwhile, NPP MP Lakmali Hemachandra also disputed claims that the proposed BASL briefing was for all MPs.
“This is not true. The Opposition Leader has no powers to summon all MPs to any meeting,” Hemachandra said.
She said there could be a meeting organised by the Opposition Leader to brief opposition MPs, but describing the audience as “all MPs” was incorrect.
Hemachandra said the BASL had previously taken the position that it was not willing to engage only with the Opposition, but was entitled to change its position and meet the Opposition Leader and opposition MPs.
However, she said any attempt to give the meeting a bipartisan character would be misleading to the public.
“BASL should know parliamentary procedure enough to understand they are not invited to a bipartisan engagement,” she said.
Hemachandra also questioned whether any lobby group should be granted an opportunity to address the entire Parliament while it is in session, arguing that such a privilege was not available to the general public.
“The public has the right to draw the attention of Members of Parliament towards issues they feel are of importance. Yet, seeking the audience of the whole of Parliament on a day Parliament is in session seems to signal a sense of entitlement not enjoyed by the general public,” she said.
She added that MPs could be contacted individually through letters, telephone calls and during public days, as other groups and individuals do.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa earlier told Parliament that BASL representatives were expected to visit Parliament on Thursday to brief MPs on the proposed 22nd Amendment and concerns relating to vacancies in the superior courts.
Premadasa said he had initially requested a briefing for opposition MPs and later asked that it be extended to all parliamentarians. He said the Speaker had also been informed in writing and that the BASL subsequently confirmed its availability for Thursday. (Newswire)