Sri Lanka's main opposition party has accused the government of undermining democratic principles by refusing to debate a no-confidence motion against the parliamentary Speaker.
The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), along with forty-four opposition lawmakers led by Sajith Premadasa, submitted a fifty-point motion against Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne earlier this month.
The Parliament Secretariat subsequently scheduled a debate on a revised version of the motion for November 3.
Lawmakers from the opposition say that the Speaker must step down or allow the debate to proceed to address the half-century of charges against him.
They rejected government attempts to alter or drop any of the severe allegations detailed in the document.
The government argued during a party leaders meeting that the matter is sub judice and that the motion could only move forward if the opposition modified its claims.
Legal experts consulted by the opposition disputed that legal barrier, noting the charges stem directly from an internal parliamentary inquiry into a confidential information leak.
Although ministers previously agreed to consult the Attorney General on potential conflicts with ongoing court cases, they later dismissed that step as unnecessary.
Opposition members warned that the Speaker faces an active investigation by the bribery commission, rendering his continued presence in office unethical.
They said that the government's unilateral refusal to allow the debate sets a dangerous precedent for the nation's democratic institutions.
Leave your comments
Login to post a comment
Post comment as a guest