Opposition requests Speaker to put off 20A debate, citing need to follow health guidelines

Chief Opposition Whip and SJB Kandy District MP Lakshman Kiriella yesterday requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to postpone parliamentary debate on 20th Amendment to the Constitution scheduled to be taken up today (20).

In a letter to the Speaker, the Chief Opposition Whip says that parlimentary sittings would be in violation of the health regulations introduced by a special gazette.

“Patients infected by COVID-19 virus are being found from all districts in the country. It seems that the pandemic had grown out of proportions because of the negligence of the government. The government made statements at various occasions since April 22 that that they had ended the spread of the virus but those statements have been proven false. The government also delayed about 10 months to bring in laws and regulations to control the spread of the virus. After delay the government issued a gazette containing regulations to prevent the spread of the virus. As per those regulations, meetings could not be held as maintaining stipulated physical distance is a must. The sitting arrangements in parliament for the MPs do not comply with the regulations stipulated in the regulations and holding parliament meetings at a time when the meetings are banned is also against those regulations.

What sort of example the government is setting before the country by holding meetings in parliament and thereby breaking the laws at the very same place where they are passed?

Therefore I kindly request you to postpone the debate on the 20th Amendment to the constitution,” it says.