Hizbullah’s contract with Govt. contravenes Constitution - AG’s Dept.

Attorney General’s Department had informed the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education in Parliament that former Eastern Province Governor M. L. A. M. Hizbullah had engaged in a conflict of interest by getting into a contract with the government to establish the Batticaloa Campus while being an MP, it was revealed yesterday.

JVP MP Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa and UNP MP Prof. Ashu Marasinghe who revealed this in the House during an adjournment debate in the House yesterday stressed the need to take legal action against Mr Hizbullah.

Prof. Marasinghe said legal action should be taken against the former Eastern Province Governor.

Dr. Jayatissa said Mr. Hizbullah should be fined Rs.500 for each day he spent as an MP as per section 100 of the constitution. “MP's, if he/she wants to get into any contract with the government, they have to resign from the MP’s post. Mr. Hizbullah had got into an agreement with the government in 2013 while being a member of parliament. This means he had remained as an MP during this time illegally. According to Section 100 of the Constitution, an MP has to be fined Rs.500 for each day he spent as an MP. This provision also has a retrospective” Dr. Jayatissa remarked. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)