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Stanley
on final journey from House Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapakse, Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara and Parliament staff received the body at the entrance. The funeral procession from Parliament commenced shortly after 4.00 p.m to Kanatte. Mr. Tillekeratne who also served as Governor of the Central Province was 76 at the time of his demise. He was a respected politician and was a most sought-after personality, especially at the hustings, where he held audiences spellbound with his wit. He was a Communist Party member during the post-independence era. He contested Kotte on the Communist Party ticket in 1960 and retained it in 1965 on the SLFP ticket. Re-elected in 1970, Mr. Tillekeratne became Speaker of the then House of Representatives. With the advent of the new Republican Constitution in 1972, the office of the Speaker assumed greater importance. No bill passed by parliament would become law without the Speaker’s assent. Mr. Tillekeratne performed his duties with great acceptance even from the opposition which did not want to contest him at the 1977 elections if he came forward as an independent candidate. Mr. Tillekeratne, however, opted to contest on the SLFP ticket and lost. He practised as a lawyer and represented the Naval rating Rohana Kumara who attempted to assassinate Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi during a ceremonial guard-of-honour in Colombo shortly after the signing of the Indo-Lanka Accord in 1987. Returning to Parliament in 1989 with a record high percentage of preferential votes in Colombo district for his party, Mr. Tillekeratne, remained till 1994 as an MP. Earlier in the day religious rites were performed by Kotte Naga Maha Viharaya Chief Incumbent, Ven. Maduluwawe Sobitha Thera and Ven Aluthnuwara Anuruddha Thera. Power and Energy Minister Susil Premajayantha and Maharagama SLFP chief organizer Amal Senadhilankara delivered the funeral orations. |
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