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Clash between ex-Speakers brewing
Former Speaker Joseph Micheal Perera says he is using "only three vehicles" in his capacity as Chairman of the Constitutional Council in the face of an accusation by ex-speaker Anura Bandaranaike that he no longer held office and was misusing Parliamentary privileges.

The former Speaker is entitled to hold office as the Chairman of the Constitutional Council despite the dissolution of Parliament until a Member of Parliament is elected to be Speaker and replaces him, Mr. Perera said.

The Speaker is granted this unique position under clause 6 (a) of the 17th Amendment to the Constitution notwithstanding the provisions of Article 64 (2) of the Constitution.

However in his statement Mr. Bandaranaike has only referred to Article 64 (2) of the Constitution which states "A member holding office of the Speaker, shall unless he earlier resigns his office by a writing under his hand addressed to the President, or ceases to be a member, vacates his office on the dissolution of Parliament." He has overlooked the Speaker's entitlements that are guaranteed to him under the 17th Amendment.

In a statement issued on Friday Mr. Bandaranaike said "Former Speaker Joseph Michael Perera, without an iota of shame admitted that 'he was merely availing himself of an entitlement 'to use the many official cars and perks, even when he has ceased to be Speaker after the dissolution. " Mr. Perera has also been at the receiving end of some brickbats of the state-controlled media.

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