Legal experts say written agreements unnecessary: Speaker

22 February 2018 02:13 pm

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya told Parliament that legal experts had advised him that parties comprising the national government did not have to submit written agreements to ensure the legitimacy of the said government.

He said this when the joint opposition questioned him on the validity of the national government in the House last evening.

However the speaker said he was prepared to look into the matter once again to determine whether the two parties in the national government had to fulfil other legal formalities.

JO parliamentary group leader Dinesh Gunawardene who raised this matter in the House said it was essential to submit the written agreement between the UPFA and the UNP to the House and recalled that Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had also mentioned that there was an agreement between the parties.

JO MP Dallas Allhaperuma said the issue pertaining to the National government is a constitutional matter rather than political. He urged the Speaker to use the Right to Information Act and obtain a copy of the agreement.

JVP MP Nalinda Jayatissa said both parties should submit a copy of the agreement.

House Leader Lakshman Kiriella said there was no question about the national government as both Prime Minister Wickremesinghe and UPFA General Secretary Mahinda Amaraweera had confirmed that the national government was still in existence.

Deputy Minister Karu Paranawithana said there was no point wasting time quibbling over the National Government because it was being continued. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)