The parliamentary session commenced at 1 pm today (19). However, the session was chaired by the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament in the absence of the Speaker, Karu Jayasuriya.

Deputy Speaker moved that a select committee should be appointed and requested MP nominations for the relevant matter be urgently handed over to the Parliamentary Secretary-General.

The Deputy Speaker then concluded the parliamentary session for the day.

Accordingly, the next parliamentary session will take place at 10 am on 23rd November.

MP Lakshman Kiriella stated that an investigation should be conducted against the MPs who damaged state property during the tense situations which occurred on 14th, 15th and 16th November at the Parliament.

Deputy Speaker responded that the Speaker will be promptly informed regarding the matter.

Dinesh Gunawardena stated that, when appointing a Select Committee it should be done under the recognition of a government and that the parliamentary affairs are the responsibility of the government. Accordingly, the majority of the Select Committee should be with the governing party, he stated.

As a Select Committee cannot be appointed without a government, the Select Committee should be appointed under the recognition that a government exists, said S. B. Dissanayake.

However, MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated that, in a context where a no-confidence motion against the PM and the new government has been clearly passed on the 15th November, it is not fair to have a majority in a Select Committee appointed for parliamentary affairs.

He says that it is not fair to handover the majority of the Select Committee to a party which doesn’t have the majority in the parliament.