Parliament holds secret ballot to elect Deputy Speaker

A secret ballot is currently taking place in Parliament to elect a new Deputy Speaker following the resignation of Ranjith Siyambalapitiya. 

Two names have been proposed for the post. The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) proposed the name of Matale District MP Rohini Kaviratne. 

The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) meanwhile, proposed the name of Hambantota District MP Ajith Rajapakse. 

SJB MPs however, pointed out that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe himself had proposed that a female MP should be nominated for the post of Deputy Speaker but that the SLPP was now going against his wishes. 

Since two names have been proposed, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena said a vote will have to be taken. 

However, several MPs vehemently protested holding another vote for the post of deputy speaker, with some calling on the Speaker to convene a party leaders' meeting to see if a consensus can be reached to nominate only one MP.

National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa asked the Speaker not to "turn the Parliament into a joke" by wasting precious time and money holding a vote for the post. He urged both the SLPP and the SJB to arrive at a consensus and nominate one MP for the post unanimously. 

If a vote is to go ahead, Mr Weerawansa said he and MPs from the 10 parties sitting independently in Parliament will cross of their ballot papers to make sure they are invalid. 

Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) Chairman former President Maithripala Sirisena said the SLFP too will cross off their ballot papers to make them invalid. 

SLPP MP Nimal Lansa said their group of MPs who are sitting independently in Parliament will boycott the vote if it went ahead. 

The Speaker then gave an opportunity for both parties to withdraw their nominee to arrive at a concensus. However, since neither party withdrew their nominee, the Speaker called for a vote to be held via secret ballot. 

Taking to Twitter, Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) Leader Udaya Gammanpila said they have decided to spoil their ballots in the election for the Deputy Speaker post "in protest of divisive politics and waste of public funds."