Parliament votes to suspend Dinesh Gunawardena

Parliament has voted to suspend Mahajana Eksath Peramuna (MEP) Leader and Joint Opposition MP Dinesh Gunawardena from Parliament for a week after he continued to obstruct Parliamentary proceedings. 

Accordingly, 85 MPs voted for the motion to suspend Gunawardena while 22 voted against it. Three MPs from the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) who were in Parliament when the vote was taken abstained.

Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs who were present meanwhile, voted for the motion to suspend Gunawardena.  

A total of 114 MPs were absent when the vote was taken. 

The motion to suspend Gunawardena was moved after he defied an order by Speaker Karu Jayasuriya that the MP be removed from Parliament for obstructing proceedings. The MP was protesting against a ruling by the Speaker that MPs from the Jathika Nidahas Peramuna (JNP) cannot function as an independent party in Parliament. 

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