Leader of the National Freedom Front and United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) Parliamentarian Wimal Weerawansa and his UPFA colleague MP Prasanna Ranaweera were suspended from Parliament for several weeks with the House voting in favour of two motions moved in this connection.
Accordingly, MP Ranaweera will serve a four-week suspension while MP Weerawansa has been banned from attending Parliament for two weeks. The decision also prevents both MPs from entering the Parliament complex and from taking part in any Parliament committee.
The two MPs have been suspended on the grounds of violating the Code of Conduct for MPs. The motions were brought against the two MPs for unethical conduct during a Parliament debate, on 3 July, on the controversial statement made by MP Vijayakala Maheswaran calling for the revival of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.
The motions were moved by Leader of the House, Minister Lakshman Kiriella, who said that the Parliament Committee on Ethics and Privileges on 5 September had decided that both MP Ranaweera and MP Weerawansa had violated the Code of Conduct.
Therefore, as per provisions in 77(1) of the Standing Orders, that say; “Whenever any Member is named by the Speaker immediately after the commission of the offence of disregarding the authority of the Chair, or of abusing the rules of the Parliament by persistently and willfully obstructing the Business of Parliament, or otherwise, the Speaker shall forthwith put the question on a motion being made (no amendment, adjournment or debate being allowed) that such Member be suspended from the service of the Parliament”.
UPFA MP Bandula Gunwardana called for a division when the motions were moved and the vote was taken after the Chair rang the quorum bell.
The motion against MP Ranaweera received 41 votes in favour and 21 votes against. The motion against MP Weerawansa received 39 votes in favour and 21 against. The suspension came into force with from today (21).
Both MPs had been summoned before the Parliament Privileges and Ethics Committee on 16 July on the inquiry into their alleged misconduct in Parliament on 3 July and the two MPs had been asked to show cause as to why disciplinary action should not be taken against them. MP Ranaweera has been accused of attempting to grab the Mace while MP Weerawansa of using un-Parliamentary language to hurl criticism at the Chair during a protest following the debate on then Deputy Minister Maheshwaran’s controversial statement.
This is the second time MP Ranaweera has been suspended from the Parliament.
