• Says precedent set by former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa upheld that arrest of MPs must be after informing Speaker 
• Current Speaker too has upheld these MPs’ rights 
• Says when MPs’ privileges violated, democratic rule is undermined
  
   

The manner in which MP Patali Champika Ranawaka was taken into custody was in breach of the precedent laid down by Parliament with regards to the arrest of a Parliamentarian, the Speaker’s Office said yesterday.

Former Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa had, in a ruling given in 2015, clearly stated that under the Parliamentary (Powers and Privileges) Act No. 21 of 1953, and the directives his predecessors followed, when a MP is arrested, the Speaker must be kept informed, and this is the precedent followed by Parliament.

“Current Speaker Karu Jayasuriya too has upheld this precedent when it comes to the arrest of MPs. This was more so in the past four years, it was the MPs in Opposition who strongly stood for the safeguarding of the rights of MPs, but it is a matter of regret that they are allowing these privileges to be flouted now,” the Speaker’s Office said in a press release.

“While no Government can ignore when the law is broken, as all citizens are bound to abide by the law, when the privileges of MPs are violated, it not only undermines democratic rule but does not augur well for democracy,” the statement said.

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