Govt. had value until it's defeat by a no-faith motion: Speaker

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament that the gazette notification pertaining to the appointment of a new prime minister had value till the new administration was defeated by a no-confidence motion on November 14.

He said this in response to a statement made by UNP MP Patali Champika Ranawaka that the Speaker had initially accepted former president Mahinda Rajapakse as a legally installed Prime Minister.

"I took the initiative to provide facilities to the new government under the gazette notification which had value till it was defeated by a no-confidence motion," the Speaker said and added that

he had discussions with the President after November 26 under the concept of consensus and compromise. He said President had assured him he would accept any group which had a majority support in Parliament on November 7 but that did not happen. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwadana)