Speaker appoints committee to probe Parliament vote on supplementary estimate

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya appointed a four  member Committee headed by Opposition Leader R.Sampanthan to probe allegations made by some opposition MPs that the vote in Parliament on Thursday evening  to pass a  Rs55  supplementary estimate was miscounted.

The other members of the Committee are former Speaker and Hambantota District MP Chamal Rajapaksa, Justice Minister Wijedasa Rajapaksa and Minister Rauff Hakeem.

In the vote taken yesterday evening at the end of the debate on the supplementary estimate, presiding officer MP Lucky Jayewardene announced that the government had   33 votes in its favour and 31 votes against.

However the JVP that called for the vote as well as joint opposition groups MPs alleged the vote was not counted properly and asked that footage of the proceedings be scrutinized by parliamentary officials in their presence.

After scrutinizing the footage it was found that the vote was tied at 31 each.

Both MP Dissanayaka and leader of the Joint opposition group MP Dinesh Gunawardena briefed the House on the matter this morning.

The Speaker said he would wait the report of the committee and give a ruling.

Chandani Kirinde