23 February 2019 08:17 am
The six-member committee appointed to look into unruly incidents that took place in Parliament last November has recommended action against 59 MPs found guilty of various offences, the report revealed.
The Committee headed by Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri which was presented to the House said action should be taken against 55 UPFA members including Wimalaweera Dissanayake Ananda Aluthgamage, Prasanna Ranaweera, Padma Udayashantha Gunasekera, Dilan Perera, Piyal Nishantha, Lohan Ratwatte, Jayantha Samaraweera, Dinesh Gunawardene, Tilanga Sumathipala, Johnston Fernando, Dilum Amunugama, Indika Anurada Hearth, Sisira Jayakodi, Kanchana Weerasekera, Susantha Punchinilame, Pavithra Wanniarachchi, S.M Chandrasena, D.V Chanaka. Mahindanana Aluthgamage, Arundika Fernando, Wimalaweera Dissanayake, Shehan Semasinghe, Udaya Gammanpila, Sharathi Dushmantha, Kanaka Herath, Nimal Lansa, Vijitha Berugoda, Taranath Basnayake, Ramesh Pathirana, Jayantha Samaraweera, Vasudeva Nanayakkara, C.B Ratnayake, Premalal Jayasekera, Nishantha Muthuhettigamage, Priyankara Jayaratne , Tenuka Vidanagame, Bandula Gunawardene, Sudarshini Fernandopulle, Ranjith Soysa, Dullas Alahaperuma, S.B. Dissanayake, Salinda Dissanayke, Rohitha Abeygunasekera, S Premaratne, Lakshman Yapa Abeywardene, Mohan Priyadharashana De Silva, Sarath Nishana Perera, Dulip Wijesekera and Wimal Weerawansa.
Most of the UPFA MPs have been held responsible for coming down to the well of Parliament, while several are charged with threatening the Speaker while one MP has been charge with sitting on the Speaker’s Chair.
The committee had recommended action against UNP MPs Ranjan Ramanayake, Palitha Thewaraperuma, Thushara Indunil and Chandima Gamage for attempting to assault and for possessing weapons
JVP MP Vijitha Herath has been charged with walking towards the Speaker. Several UPFA have been charged with the same offence.
The report had revealed that the total damage caused to the House during the pandemonium is Rs.325,000.
The committee had sought the opinion of Senior Deputy Solicitor General Rohantha Abeysuriya who had said either Parliament or the Supreme Court could punish the offenders.
He has said Parliament could take action under Section 28 of the Privileges Act. He has said only the Supreme Court could impose penalties for assaulting, insulting and creating and joining disturbance. The Senior DSG had also said the Attorney General could advice the Speaker on the matter. Speaker Karu Jayasueiya had already sought the opinion of the AG on the report. The report said action could be taken under civil laws or under the Civil Procedure Act. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)