TNA and JVP Withdraws from voting during Deputy Speaker’s Election

When the subject of electing a Deputy Speaker came up in parliament yesterday, leader of the Opposition R.Sampanthan said, that when the Unity government was established it was agreed to appoint the Speaker from the UNP ,  Deputy speaker from the SLFP and the Deputy Leader of the House from the TNA. Since the vacant position came due to resignation of the Deputy Speaker representing the SLFP, it is moral and proper to appoint a person from the SLFP, insisted Sampanthan.

The Prime Minister in turn accepted that it was agreed earlier as Speaker and the Deputy speaker were from the Government side, but now as the SLFP nominee sits in the opposition, Deputy Leader of the House and the Deputy Speaker both cannot be given to the opposition.

Since their suggestion was rejected by the Prime Minister, TNA led by R.Sampanthan and JVP led by Anurakumara Dissanayke didn’t participate in the voting. Hence, UNP nominee MP Ananda Kumarasiri was elected with the majority vote of 44,