Parliament adjourns for want of quorum; only 16 MPs present
Friday, 11 April 2014 01:55
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By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent
Parliament was adjourned prematurely yesterday at 2:15 p.m. until 1 p.m. on Thursday 24 April due to there being no quorum in the House.
Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs W.D.J. Seneviratne, Minister of Power and Energy Pavithradevi Wanniarachchi, Minister of Irrigation and Water Resources Management and the Leader of the House of Parliament Nimal Siripala de Silva were in the House on the Government benches while 12 members were seated in the Opposition before sittings were interrupted by UPFA MP A.H.M. Azwer for a quorum.
The required quorum to continue the business of the House was 17 members.
With Minister of Water Supply and Drainage and Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunwardena postponing the replies for eight out of the 13 Questions for Oral Answers listed in the Order Paper, the Government Ministers responded to pending questions raised under Standing Order 23 (2).
Eventually, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa moved on to Commencement of Public Business and Notice of Motions. Opposition lawmaker Ravi Karunanayake moved the Adjournment Motion on ‘Electricity’.
“The Ceylon Electricity Board is corrupted and inefficient. In 2012 CEB loss was Rs. 61.2 billion. The electricity prices were increased by 50% on 20 April 2013 and the loss has reduced to Rs. 21.1 billion. But it is reported that a loss of Rs. 81 billion in January 2014, a loss of Rs. 84 billion in February, and a loss of Rs. 79 billion have been incurred. Ultimately this loss will be passed on to the consumer,” said MP Karunanayake.
Parliament proceedings commenced at 1 p.m. yesterday as usual.
