Speaker clarifies stance regarding MP Ranawaka's arrest

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has said he had paid attention towards the arrest of Parliamentarian Patali Champika Ranawaka since it was a violation of parliamentary traditions, and not because he wanted to protect an individual or a political party.

The Speaker made these remarks through a media release published by his office, in response to criticism levelled against him for denouncing the arrest and visiting the parliamentarian in prison.

Opposition parliamentarian Ranawaka had been arrested last Wednesday over an accident in 2016 before being granted bail this week. The Speaker had stated that he had not been informed prior to the arrest as required by parliamentary traditions.

In the clarification, the Speaker's Office stressed that while a parliamentarian could be arrested on justifiable grounds, it should be done in keeping with the general Parliamentary procedure.

The release noted that the Speaker has not visited UNP Puttalam district parliamentarian Shantha Sisira Kumara Abeysekera who has been remanded for more than 50 days, since the proper procedure had been followed.

It added that the Speaker, on behalf of all parliamentarians will always strive towards fulfilling his duty of ensuring that the parliament's democratic traditions are protected.