UPFA slams fund cut as ‘unconstitutional’

• Blames Speaker, insists motion should have been included in Order Paper, presented at Party Leaders Meeting first

UPFA lawmakers rejected the UNP-led motion passed in Parliament to cut budgetary allocations to the Prime Minister’s Office, insisting that it was illegal and unconstitutional. 

Addressing a media conference held in the Parliament complex, the UPFA lawmakers identified the motion as “illegal and unconstitutional”, bringing in a condition which is not found in the Standing Orders where “such motion should be moved by a Government MP” to be valid.

Highlighting the sub judice principle, the UPFA MP Nimal Siripala de Silva stated the Parliament lacks necessary authority to debate the motion. “The motion given by the UNF and JVP members is on the basis that there is no Government. This matter is being adjudicated in the Court by a writ application by UNP MPs. The court will examine and give a decision as to whether the application can be sustained or not. Parliament has no power to debate a motion under adjudication,” MP De Silva said.

According to him, the motion is an illegal act which lacks enforceability as per the provisions in the Constitution and the Standing Orders, but supported by the Speaker, who is not reasonable. “The Speaker is acting like a dictator. No Speaker in the world has acted as stubbornly as Speaker Jayasuriya does. He is leaving a black mark on Sri Lankan history and Parliament history. Usually, before a motion is brought, it is brought before a Party Leaders Meeting. It should be included in the Order Papers. None of this has happened,” MP De Silva added.

Disclosing the details of the meeting held in the morning with the Speaker to discourage the motion being taken for debate and vote, UPFA MP Dinesh Gunawardena stated that they had objected to the move, citing the fact that there is a court case and the motion will have some impact on it. “The case is to be taken up on Friday (today). We are to present our case then, and it is not correct to debate a subject that is before the Court. We requested the Speaker to respect that, but he refused,” said MP Gunawardena.