MPs get trapped in Parliament lift 

About 12 MPs were trapped in one of the lifts reserved for Parliamentarians for about 25 minutes this morning. 

By Sandun Jayawardana

About 12 MPs were trapped in one of the lifts reserved for Parliamentarians for about 25 minutes this morning. 

Opposition MPs Wimal Weerawansa, Dinesh Gunawardena and Bandula Gunawardena were among those who were trapped inside the lift. They raised this issue with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya during Parliament sittings today. 

MP Dinesh Gunawardena stated that MPs in the lift tried the emergency contact number inside the lift to get in touch with the relevant officials who were supposed to be available in such an emergency, but that they did not receive a response for some 15 minutes. 

He queried what the point of Parliament was if it could not even properly upgrade its lifts. 

Speaker Jayasuriya apologised to the MPs for what happened and assured that the company in charge of maintaining the lifts will be summoned over the matter.