Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa has taken the unusual step of convening Parliament today by a special Gazette notification, two days ahead of the scheduled date, on a request by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe. Parliament was to meet on February 5 after the conclusion of this year’s Independence Day celebrations but due to the demand by several opposition legislators for an earlier date to debate the removal of Mohan Peiris and reinstatement of Shirani Bandaranayake as Chief Justice, the House will meet today at 2 p.m. The Speaker has issued the notification under Standing Order No. 14 which enables him to convene the House if so requested by the Prime Minister.
Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa is due to vacate his official residence at Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo this morning, a Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) source said.
The Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill was passed by a majority of 150 in parliament today. However the opposition MP’s were absent during the voting.
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