MP Wasantha Yapa Bandara joined a parade of parliamentarians to quit the Committee of Public Enterprises (COPE) over the appointment of SLPP MP Rohitha Abeygunawardena as its chairman.
Shortly after the parliamentary session commenced this morning (March 20), the Deputy Speaker announced the appointment of Bandara as a COPE member.
However, the MP announced his resignation with immediate effect, asserting that he would communicate his decision in writing as well.
At the first COPE meeting of the Fifth Session of the Ninth Parliament convened on March 07, Abeygunawardena was elected by majority votes to serve as the new chairman of the committee. His name had been nominated by MP Mahindananda Aluthgamage and seconded by MP Sanjeewa Edirimanne.
In protest of the appointment, as many as seven new COPE members – namely Wickramaratne, Waleboda, Herath, Jayasekara, Marikkar, Withanage and Rasamanickam – have thus far stepped down from the committee with Bandara becoming the eighth member to quit.
