Deputy Speaker position remains open

• Speaker in quandary as Presidential Secretariat slow to accept Thilanga resignation 

By Ashwin Hemmathagama 

Delay by the Presidential Secretariat to officially inform the Parliament of the acceptance of the resignation of the Deputy Speaker MP Thilanga Sumathipala has put Speaker Karu Jayasuriya in a quandary over appointing his replacement. 

 With the opposition and the Government lawmakers questioning the delay to appoint a new Deputy Speaker to fill the vacancy created by MP Sumathipala who joined the ranks of the opposition earlier this week, Speaker Jayasuriya explained his helplessness on the matter which depends entirely on President Maithripala Sirisena as per the Constitution.

 “According to the Constitution, the President has to accept his resignation and inform the Parliament in return. I am yet to receive the information from the President. Even yesterday, I brought it to the attention of the President on a personal as well as in an official capacity. I am unable to haul this alone and must have a Deputy Speaker. I can work with anybody and don’t mind any appointment,” explained Speaker Karu Jayasuriya to the Parliament.

 UNP MP Nalin Bandara Jayamaha questioned the reasons for the delay. “The Secretary General of the Parliament received a letter on 19 April seeking seating in the opposition for the 16 members leaving the Government side. Then, Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala has also placed his signature in this letter. According to the Standing Orders, a new Deputy Speaker should be elected on the first sitting before the commencement of the day’s work soon after the position becomes vacant. Now that MP Sumathipala is already seated in the opposition and has placed his signature in this letter, no further details are required to prove the vacation of post. We know that the Speaker is also in difficulty due to this matter,” he said.

 However, immediately after the first sitting of the second session of the 8th Parliament, the UPFA urged the Speaker to consider a member from their side to hold the office of the Deputy Speaker.

During a personal explanation, the UPFA Parliamentarian S. B. Dissanayake, who was among the Parliamentary group that joined the Opposition, stated that the position of the Deputy Speaker which is currently vacant could remain as it is with the former Deputy Speaker Thilanga Sumathipala if the party agrees to it. He also stated that there have been instances of members of the opposition occupying the posts of Speaker as well as Deputy Speaker.