Oppn. protests Tissa’s arrests
2 February 2015 03:32 pm
The main opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) today protested over the arrest of MP Tissa Attanayake without notifying Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa.
Opposition Leader Nimal Siripala de Silva said the Speaker should be informed of the arrest of MPs in terms of the Parliamentary Privileges Act. Mr. Attanayake was arrested on the charge of document forgery during the election time.
Mr. Attanayake, who was the then UNP General Secretary, switched allegiance to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the run-up to the January 8 election.
During the election campaign he produced a document claiming to be that of a pact between UNP Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe and the then Common Opposition Candidate Maithripala Sirisena.
Mr. Sirisena and Mr. Wickremesinghe denied the existence of any such a pact and said their signatures had been forged by Mr. Attanayake.
Health Minister Rajitha Senaratne, who responded said he too was arrested in 1994, but the then Speaker K.B. Ratnayake ruled that there was no requirement to notify him when carrying out such arrests.
State Minister Palitha Range Bandara said an MP accused of criminal offences could be arrested without notifying the Speaker.
"Nowhere has such a requirement been laid down. If there is any, please let us know," he challenged the Opposition Leader.
Democratic Left Front leader Vasudeva Nanayakkara said late Speaker Stanley Tillakeratne ruled that the Speaker, as the custodian of Parliament, should be kept informed regarding the arrests of MPs.
"This ruling was given when I was arrested in 1971," he said.
Deputy Justice Minister Sujeewa Senasinghe sought a ruling from Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa citing that there was lack of clarity on this matter.
"Instead of going by past rulings, it is better to seek a fresh ruling from the Speaker. Otherwise, we are confused as to what we should do," he said.
The Speaker agreed to give his opinion on this matter after studying the past rulings.
(Kelum Bandara and Yohan Perera)