Speaker not informed of unity govt. extension

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya said yesterday he had not received a letter extending the agreement of the national government.

The Speaker said this when JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake asked him whether the agreement to form the national government has been renewed and if so whether he received the renewal agreement.

JO MP Dinesh Gunawardane said the government had violated the Constitution by appointing a Cabinet, State and deputy ministers exceeding the amount stipulated in the Constitution as the period of the national government had expired.

"The agreement of the national government between the UNP and the SLFP expired on December 31. Accordingly, Cabinet ministers should be limited to 30," he said.

He asked the Prime Minister if he admitted to the fact that the government had violated the Constitution by appointing Cabinet, State and Deputy ministers exceeding the amount stipulated in the constitution and the fact that agreement of the national government had expired.

MP Gunawardane also asked whether the appointment of Sriyani Wijewickrama and Piyasena Gamage as State ministers had been approved by the President and the Prime Minister as required by the Constitution. He said appointment of ministers should be approved by the President and the Prime Minister according to the Constitution. (Ajith Siriwardana and Yohan Perera)