19 July 2022 02:20 pm
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena today informed the Parliamentary Business Council that MPs should not click pictures of their ballot papers and they should not be forced or influenced to vote for any particular candidate in tomorrow's Presidential election as this was against parliamentary rules.
Reports surfaced earlier today that some party leaders had informed their MPs to picture their ballot papers tomorrow to prove which candidate they had voted for.
When the matter was raised at the Parliament Business Council meeting, Speaker Abeywardena said that according to Section 20 of the Presidential Elections (special provisions) Act No. 2 of 1981, it outlines the rules regarding the voting including prohibiting influencing or coercing MPs who are voting in the election.
As this is a secret ballot any moves to force a MP to photograph their ballot will result in them being banned from sitting in Parliament for seven years. (Jamila Husain)