No confidence motion against Speaker handed over

The Deputy General Secretary of Parliament Mr. Chaminda Kularatne received the no-confidence motion against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today (Mar. 5).

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, Chief Opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella, and Members of Parliament Prof. G.L. Peiris, Rohini Kumari Wijeratne, Hesha Vithanage, Mano Ganesan, Rishad Bathiudeen, M.A. Sumanthiran, S.M. Marikkar, Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Thalatha Atukorale, Vijitha Herath, and Chandima Weerakkody were among the 44 lawmakers who signed it.

Regarding Sections 13, 17, 20, 33 (6), 34 (1), 35 (1), 21, 22, and 33 of the Online Safety Bill, the no-confidence motion claims that the Speaker disregarded the Supreme Court's recommendations.

In addition, ignoring the Chief Opposition Whip’s request for a split during the Committee Stage and permitting the Third Reading of the Online Safety Bill to pass without a vote are among other allegations.

The opposition MPs also have drawn attention to the what they call Speaker’s “unconstitutional and unlawful” use of his deciding vote to support IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon’s nomination in the event that the other members of the Constitutional Council were evenly divided on the issue.