Opposition to lodge complaints against Speaker with IPU and CPU

• We will decide whether to continue boycotting parliamentary sessions depending on how the Speaker conducts proceedings today and in the coming days

By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana

Accusing Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne of violating globally accepted parliamentary norms by acting in a partisan manner, the Opposition announced yesterday that it will file formal complaints against him with the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) and the Commonwealth Parliamentary Union (CPU).  

Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunathilaka and Deputy Opposition Whip Ajith P. Perera, addressing a joint press conference, stated that the decision was prompted by what they described as the Speaker’s continuous display of partiality.  

“We will decide whether to continue boycotting parliamentary sessions depending on how the Speaker conducts proceedings today and in the coming days. We also plan to raise issues concerning Iran and Israel in Parliament today,” MP Perera said.  

Karunathilaka emphasized the seriousness of the matters the Opposition sought to bring before the House. “Iran is one of the major buyers of Sri Lankan tea. We intended to ask the government what steps it plans to take if we lose the Iranian market. Additionally, we wanted to discuss the potential impact on Sri Lankan expatriates in Israel and how the conflict could affect our fuel supply. These are matters of national importance. However, the Speaker has obstructed us from raising these issues,” he said.  

Meanwhile, Deputy Minister Mahinda Jayasinghe criticized the recent walkout by Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MPs, questioning the timing of their concern over the Israel-Iran conflict, which he said had only begun a few days ago.   “We have tolerated the opposition’s habit of raising irrelevant issues and wasting parliamentary time for a while. But we will not allow it to continue,” Jayasinghe added.