Best option for Speaker is to step down

A No-Confidence Motion (NCM) signed by 44 MPs belonging to several opposition parties against Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena was handed over to the Deputy General Secretary of Parliament this week. The chief allegation against the Speaker is that he certified the Online Safety Bill even though the Bill had not been duly passed by Parliament. The Opposition alleges that the Speaker had certified the Bill by ignoring the Supreme Court’s recommendations pertaining to several sections in the Bill, which had either to be removed or amended in keeping with the Court’s suggestion before it became law.

The NCM also alleges Abeywardena ignored calls for division during the vote on the Third Reading of the Bill. 

Also brought into the NCM was the use of his vote at the meeting of the Constitution Council held to confirm the appointment of IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon as the IGP. The Motion says the Speaker, who heads the CC, acted ‘unconstitutionally and unlawfully’ in this case.

In Sri Lanka’s recent history, most Speakers were installed to ensure the ruling side gets its way in parliamentary business. It’s not a coveted position with senior politicians preferring a ministerial post over being the Speaker but it’s an important position which requires the person occupying the chair to put aside his political biases and conduct the business of the House in accordance with the Constitution and Standing Orders.

Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, who was elected as an SLPP MP from the Matara District, was appointed as Speaker with his name being proposed by Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena and SJB MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara after the August, 2020 parliamentary election. It was a unanimous decision to elect him to the post and hence he had a good start. But from the inception, Abeywardena lacked the grit and firmness to keep the House in order.

Time management during sessions took a nosedive and there have been more days than not when MPs have wasted the time of the House bickering over petty issues and on personal attacks with little guidance or control from the Chair.

Most times it seemed the Leader of the House or the Chief Government Whip were conducting the House than the Speaker.

In November last year, Abeywardena refused a vote by name at the end of the debate in Parliament on a joint Government-Opposition resolution to remove officials of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) despite repeated requests from the Opposition for a vote. The Government side was not keen on a vote given the differences within its ranks on the issue but the Speaker who holds a non-partisan position should have allowed a vote but did not.

There have been several instances where the Speaker has also rushed to certify Bills including the VAT (Amendment) Bill which was passed in December 2023. The usual practice is for a Bill passed with amendments at Committee Stage to be sent back to Parliament in the final version with the amendments included before it is certified but there have been several instances where Bills have been certified in indecent haste by Abeywardena. The Government may be in a hurry to have the laws enacted in haste, but it is the responsibility of the Speaker, along with parliamentary officials, to ensure that the correct procedure is followed.

There are also other serious concerns about his conduct since taking office as Speaker. At least five members of his family are in the Speaker’s personal staff, all on Government salaries and perks and this does not help the credibility of the high office he holds.

All in all, Speaker Abeywardena has not fared well in his role and the NCM by the Opposition is a blow to him. With the Government enjoying a comfortable majority in the House it is likely the Motion will be defeated when it is debated and put to a vote in the House but the debate itself would do irreparable damage to Abeywardena and also to the post he holds.

The best option left for Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena is to step down from the post. He will be doing himself and the Government a favour and also ensuring that whatever little credibility this Parliament has doesn’t get further eroded.