Students banned from taking hankies into Parliament

24 February 2017 09:23 am

Parliamentary authorities have decided to prevent school children who visit the House from taking handkerchieves into the visitor’s gallery, informed sources said.

The decision had been taken after a handkerchief belonging to a child fell on a lamp causing a minor fire on Tuesday -- which was instantly doused.

The tables of the police officers outside the gallery were covered with handkerchieves last morning as the school children had to leave them behind. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)