UNP Parliamentary Group should resolve it: Speaker

The issue that had arisen on the post of the Opposition Leader has to be resolved by the UNP Parliamentary Group as it is an internal matter where the party is concerned, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya remarked during the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held at the parliamentary complex today.

In a statement, the Speaker emphasised that the process of electing the Opposition Party leader does not relate to the scope of affairs of the Committee on Parliamentary Business and needs to be resolved within the United National Party itself, as it is an internal matter of the party.

"Accustomed to the parliamentary tradition, the leader of the Opposition is recognised to be the leader of the political party consisting of a majority of the members. Furthermore, the Speaker emphasised to the Committee that it is the duty of the Secretary General of that particular party to inform the Speaker in writing of the same."

The Speaker made this statement following the submission of a letter by MP Ajith P. Perera in recommending the appointment of MP Sajith Premadasa as the opposition leader.

Earlier, the Speaker read out a letter sent by MP and Secretary-General of the United National Party (UNP), Akila Viraj Kariyawasam, nominating Ranil Wickremesinghe as the opposition leader of the parliament.

Parliamentarians Lakshman Kiriella, Dullas Alahapperuma, Rauff Hakeem, Ravi Karunanayake, Dinesh Gunawardena, Mahinda Amaraweera, Douglas Devananda, Mahinda Samarasinghe, Wimal Weerawansa, Nimal Siripala de Silva, Ameer Ali Shihabdeen and Ajith. P. Perera attended the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business.