Ranil’s amendment to SJB no confidence motion rejected

An amendment moved by United National Party (UNP) leader and former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to the no confidence motion against Sri Lanka’s energy minister Udaya Gammanpila to include the entire cabinet was turned down by the Speaker.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena informed Parliament that the proposed amendment cannot be accepted.

Giving his ruling, Speaker Abeywardena noted that the notice of the substantive motion of no confidence submitted by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) had no indication that it could finally be converted as a no confidence motion on the Cabinet of Ministers which is the Government.

The Committee on the Parliamentary Business was also not informed that an amendment would be moved to convert the No Confidence Motion against the Minister of Energy to be a No Confidence Motion against the Government. Furthermore, the debate that took place yesterday in the House was very much focused on the No Confidence Motion against a single Minister namely, Udaya Gammanpila, he further pointed out. 

"The legal effect of the amendment handed over to the Secretary General of Parliament by Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe is to convert the No Confidence Motion moved against the Hon. Udaya Gammanpila to assume a new status as a No confidence Motion against the Cabinet of Ministers which is the Government. This was not intendent at any stage since notice was given on the Motion," the Speaker stressed. 

The Speaker ruled that an amendment which seeks to convert a No Confidence Motion against a Minister to that of a No Confidence Motion against the Cabinet of Ministers is certainly not within the scope of the original motion and nor it is relevant to the original motion either.

"We are well aware that a No Confidence Motion against the Cabinet of Ministers could only be brought forward by a substantive motion after due notice is given. Any attempt to subvert this process by bringing an amendment to that effect to an existing No Confidence Motion against a Minister is out of order and contravenes the Standing Orders," Speaker Abeywardena further stated. 

SJB MP S M Marikkar moved the no confidence motion against Gammanipla Monday.

Mr Wickremesinghe proposed in  his amendment the motion should include the entire Cabinet.

But, some of the SJB members were against the proposal as it would give the opportunity for the government members to unite and they would not expect the anticipated results.