By Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana
Colombo, Oct. 22 (Daily Mirror) - The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) and opposition MPs engaged in a heated exchange in Parliament over questions raised under Standing Order 27(2), with Leader of the House Bimal Ratnayake accusing the opposition of violating the guidelines agreed upon by both sides.
Minister Ratnayake said questions submitted by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and other opposition party leaders should comply with the agreed guidelines. He urged the Secretary-General’s Office of Parliament not to accept questions that violated the guidelines and called on party leaders to adhere to the agreed procedures.
Responding to the minister, Premadasa maintained that the question he had raised was valid, urgent and related to the Budget.
“I cannot frame questions according to the preferences of the Leader of the House,” he said.
MP Ravi Karunanayake also criticised the government, alleging that the ruling party was attempting to dictate even the language MPs should use when raising questions in Parliament.
Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne subsequently advised MPs against debating Standing Orders, warning that doing so would waste parliamentary time.