10 September 2022 12:00 am Views - 140
By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana
Parliament sessions came to an abrupt end and was confined to 24 minutes due to confusion with regard to the approving of National Council.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardene proposed that the motion to set up the National Council which comprises 37 members representing Parliament but the Secretary General informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene that the motion cannot be approved as it is not in the order books. The speaker then announced to the House that the motion has to be approved on another day.
Prime Minister while highlighting that the National Council should be set up without delay proposed the adjournment of the House. He proposed that the condolence vote on Late MP Amarakeerthi Athukorala also should be postponed.
Leader of the House Susil Premajaynatha then proposed that the House be adjourned till September 20 2o22.
When contacted by Daily Mirror Searjeant-at-arms Narendra Fernando said the condolence vote was postponed as the family members of Late MP Athukorala could not attend yesterday as they were engaged with another appointment in Polonnaruwa. “ Absence of MPs also contributed to the situation,” he added.
It was also revealed that Speaker Abeywardene’s mother Nandawathi Hettiarachchi has passed away last morning at the age of 97.
All these factors have contributed to the early adjournment yesterday.
The Secretary General informed Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene that the motion cannot be approved as it is not in the order books