Parliament flares up over Judges’ retirement debate

• The opposition MPs who had stormed into the well at that time began to shout slogans against the Speaker
• The sessions were suspended after some members tried to grab the mace

By Yohan Perera  

Pandemonium broke out in Parliament yesterday forcing Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne to suspend the sessions for around 15 minutes after some opposition MPs staged a protest inside the chambers and made an effort to grab the mace.  

Hell broke out when 20 MPs in the opposition to approve a resolution under standing orders 1 to call up a debate on the extension of judges’ retirement date and the extension of Chief Justice’s term by two years.   

MP Ajith P. Perera moved the resolution but the Speaker referred the matter to the Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake who called for a vote to decide whether the debate requested by the opposition should be granted or not. At the same time Mr. Ratnayake suggested that the Speaker should act in accordance with the standing orders 146 where government business is given priority.   

MP Dayasiri Jayasekera then argued that the Speaker should not seek the advice of the Leader of the House. “There are serious issues pertaining to judicial matters today. Some cases are heard by fixed benches. We need to debate these matters,” he said.   

However, the Speaker decided to go ahead with the debate fixed for yesterday which was the second reading of the Value Added Amendment Bill. The debate was opened by MP Nishantha Jayaweera on behalf of the ruling party.   

MP Harsha de Silva raised another point and highlighted the fact that the resolution cannot be debated without obtaining the approval of the Public Finance Committee. Minister Ratnayake then said there was no issue as the Attorney General has approved the legislation.   

The opposition MPs who had stormed into the well at that time began to shout slogans against the Speaker. The sessions were suspended after some members tried to grab the mace.   

The Speaker later announced that the debate on judicial matters proposed by the opposition could be taken up on another day with the approval of the party leaders.