Tapping MPs' phone calls a breach of privileges: Kiriella

20 November 2017 09:21 pm - 14 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

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House Leader Lakshman Kiriella said today the recording of phone calls of COPE members was a breach of their parliamentary privileges and that the Speaker's permission should be obtained before seeking information on telephone calls of MPs.

He tabled the details of the telephone conversations between Mr. Aloysius and COPE members between May 6, 2015 and October 28, 2016.

The minister in his statement to parliament, said the CID or the Attorney General's Department should obtain the Speaker's permission before seeking information on the telephone calls of MPs but neither of them had done so.

He said the forensic report presented to the PCoI by the CID had stated that five COPE members had received calls from Arjun Aloysius, but if his intention was to contact these members hoping to make changes to the COPE report in his favour then he had failed with none of the members obliging Mr. Aloysius.

The minister pointed out that COPE had made one unanimous recommendation with even these five members agreeing that action must be taken against the wrongdoers.

He said the PCoI's mandate was to investigate and report and that there was no finding against any of these MPs.

"It is not a court of law and no one has been found guilty of any offence. This brings us to the question as to on whose instructions and for what purpose was a tab kept on the telephone records of these MPs. It is clearly a breach of their parliamentary privileges," the minister said.

He said communication between parliamentarians and constituents was privileged and added that there had been instances where administrative action had been taken to preserve the rights of the constituents communicating with MPs.

"The telephone had been recognised as the one of the means by which a constituent can communicate with MPs," the minister said and added that it was highly improper to publish the details of MPs' telephone calls as the PCoI had arrived at any conclusion.

"The confidential information had been put out for public consumption. Media is now in a frenzy giving all sorts of twisted interpretations to this information," he said.

The minister requested the Speaker to convene a party leaders meeting to discuss the matter and summon all parties including the MPs whose names had been mentioned and take appropriate action after a proper inquiry.

He said it was his duty to safeguard the privileges of all MPs irrespective of party differences and that they were not against the investigations but the information should be kept secret and submitted to the PCoI and it should carry out an investigation. (Ajith Siriwardana)

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Comments - 14

ravin Tuesday, 21 November 2017 05:35 AM

Agreed. Because of at least few thieves names had come out.

Banda Tuesday, 21 November 2017 01:22 PM

He is now scared that commision calls from road projects would come out. Crook!

Sameen Jan Tuesday, 21 November 2017 05:37 AM

The commission has stated that this claim was false.What more can you expect from someone who said (2008) "any cattle could fire guns' referring to the Army of SL's success in battle with the terrorists.

Sunil Tuesday, 21 November 2017 06:24 AM

The telephone conversations of these dirty rogues should be made public.

Lifting Veil Tuesday, 21 November 2017 08:21 AM

Well said. They cannot hide behind so called privileges of MPs. it is just like lifting the Veil of incorporation.

sachith Tuesday, 21 November 2017 08:13 AM

Its clear that only Arjun's phone was tapped and all those names were calls he made/received.Any bull can tap telephones...

cheers Tuesday, 21 November 2017 08:18 AM

Why only the ministers how about the public?

shanthapriya Tuesday, 21 November 2017 10:56 AM

This man is always the First to panic

Senewi Tuesday, 21 November 2017 11:28 AM

Do you think that the robbing a bank is also a parliamentary privilege?

SCARED STIFF Tuesday, 21 November 2017 12:49 PM

Scared are you - that your secrets will get revealed.

DG Tuesday, 21 November 2017 01:00 PM

Appears not tapping of phones but extraction of information from the phones of AM, to whom he called and calls came from where, this Minister always jump the gun and told in the Parliament repeatedly that Bond matter was very proper nothing wrong!!!!

rala Tuesday, 21 November 2017 01:17 PM

what privileges for these day light robbers?

voter Tuesday, 21 November 2017 02:06 PM

What a joke. They can rob public money but when it becomes public knowledge then they go behind the privilege. They should understand that the privileges afforded for them is not to steal.

OBSERVER Tuesday, 21 November 2017 02:20 PM

ANY BULL SHOULD BE EXPOSED, IF PUBLIC FUNDS ARE ROBBED.

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Tapping MPs' phone calls a breach of privileges: Kiriella

Comments - 14

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