Speaker says debate on Rishad's NCM to be held on June 18 and 19

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament a short while ago that the debate on the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) on Minister Rishad Bathiudeen will be held on June 18 and 19.

By Sandun Jayawardana

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament a short while ago that the debate on the No-Confidence Motion (NCM) on Minister Rishad Bathiudeen will be held on June 18 and 19.

However, there had been disagreements over the dates to debate the NCM during the Party Leaders' Meeting held earlier today. Leaders of several Opposition parties had demanded that the debate be held during Parliament's sittings in the first week of June.

National Freedom Front (NFF) Leader Wimal Weerawansa told Parliament that they had requested that the debate be held on June 6 and 7, with all motions scheduled to be debated on those dates be shifted to June 4. The Government though, had turned the request down. 

Mr Weerawansa urged the Speaker to hold the debate on the NCM on June 6 and 7. Speaker Jayasuriya however, pointed out it was not up to him to fix the dates as that was up to the Government to do so in consultation with Party Leaders. 

He said the dates to debate the NCM have now been fixed for June 18 and 19 and urged the Opposition to accept it.