The Joint Opposition alleged in Parliament yesterday(4) that its right to debate important issues in the House had been infringed by the refusal of the Chair to allow an adjournment debate to be today’s GMOA strike action.
Leader of the Joint Opposition in Parliament, MP Dinesh Gunawardena raised the matter in Parliament initially, called on Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to at least allow him to read the motion for the adjournment debate.
At least allow me to read the motion as our intention is to avoid a dangerous situation that may arise today.
In response, the Speaker said the Joint Opposition’s request could not be permitted as the request to move the motion had been received by the Secretary General of Parliament later than the stipulated time period.
The agreed norm is that a party that wants to move an adjournment debate should inform Parliament about it by 12 p.m. on the day prior to the date it intends to move it in the House. The Secretary General of Parliament received the request only at 2 p.m. Therefore, it is not possible to allow the debate, he said.
MP Gunawardena could not be allowed to even read the motion as it would set a bad precedent in the House, Speaker Jayasuriya concluded.
