Susil Premajayantha says vote on No-Confidence Motion not valid as Parliament Mace was not in place

Commenting on the legality of the No-Confidence Motion which Speaker Karu Jayasuriya acknowledged as being passed, Parliamentarian Susil Premajayantha said the vote was not valid.

The MP speaking to media from the Prime Minister´s office during a briefing said when the vote on call was taken the Parliament Mace was not in its rightful place, thereby rendering the voting process and the session void.

With tensions in Parliament and Govt MPs having a heated exchange with the Speaker in the well of Parliament the Mace had not been in its bracket at the time the voting took place.

The Mace has remained the symbol of authority of Parliament and through Parliament, of the Speaker and as such Parliament cannot sit without the Mace. 

While Parliament is in session the Serjeant-at-Arms places the Mace on the bracket provided for the purpose immediately below the table of the Secretary General of Parliament.