By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana 

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena informed Parliament on the appointment of new members to Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).  Accordingly the new members of COPE include MPs Jagath Kumara, Janaka Wakkumbura, Lohan Ratwatte, Indika Anuruddha, D. V. Chanaka, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, S Rasamanikam, Eran Wickramaratne, Harsha de Silva, Rohitha Abeygunawardena, 
Nimal Lansa, M. Musharaff, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, S. M. Marikkar, Premanath Dolawatte, Ranjith Bandara, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Rauff Hakeem, Mujibur Rahman, Madura Withanage, Rohini Wijerathne and Upul Mahendra

Members of COPA include Mohan de Silva, Lasantha Alagiyawanne, S. B. Dissanayake, Tissa Attanayake, Kabir Hashim, Sarath Weerasekera, J. C Alawathuwala, Charitha Herath,Hesha Vithanage, Harini Amarasuriya, S Rasamanikam, Pradeep Undugoda, Isuru Dodangoda, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, P. Weerasinghe, Buddika Pathirana, Hector Appuhamy, Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Diana Gamage and Sahan Pradeep. 

One of the salient feature is the non-inclusion of MP Charitha Herath in the COPE. Dr. Herath was the previous Chairman of COPE. 

Meanwhile Chief Opposition whip Lakshman Kiriella reiterated the call to appoint opposition MPs as heads of COPE and COPA. “There is an agreement among the party leaders to this effect,” he noted. 

Nimal Lansa, M. Musharaff, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha, S. M. Marikkar, Premanath Dolawatte, Ranjith Bandara, Patali Champika Ranawaka, Rauff Hakeem, Mujibur Rahman, Madura Withanage, Rohini Wijerathne and Upul Mahendra.

Members of COPA include Mohan de Silva, Lasantha Alagiyawanne, S. B. Dissanayake, Tissa Attanayake, Kabir Hashim, Sarath Weerasekera, J. C Alawathuwala, Charitha Herath,Hesha Vithanage, Harini Amarasuriya, S Rasamanickam, Pradeep Undugoda, Isuru Dodangoda, Weerasumana Weerasinghe, P. Weerasinghe, Buddika Pathirana, Hector Appuhamy, Sudarshani Fernandopulle, Diana Gamage and Sahan Pradeep. 

One of the salient feature is the non-inclusion of MP Charitha Herath in the COPE. Dr. Herath was the previous Chairman of COPE.