Sajith’s leave application for Ranjan rejected by Speaker

By Saman Indrajith

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena turned down an attempt by Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa to move a motion seeking parliamentary approval for leave of absence for Ratnapura District SJB MP Ranjan Ramanayake serving a prison sentence after being convicted by the Supreme Court.

 Opposition Leader Premadasa accused the Speaker of being biased and said that the latter had rejected the orders of the authorities to bring Ranjan Ramanayake to Parliament.

He said that it was not clear why the Speaker had not allowed Ramanayake to attend Parliament.

Opposition Leader Premadasa said the Speaker’s actions were against Parliament traditions and accused him of turning a blind eye to the issue, despite the Court instructing Parliament to refrain from taking any action with regard to MP Ramanayake’s Parliament seat.

Premadasa said that according to the court order, the Speaker had to allow MP Ramanayake to attend Parliament.

The Opposition leader said the Speaker had obstructed the party from submitting the motion which was consistent with Standing Orders.

Leader of the House Minister Dinesh Gunawardena said that the Opposition leader’s questions could not be raised during yesterday’s session as it had not been included in the Parliament Order Paper.

Minister Gunawardena pointed out that MP Premadasa was raising questions on other matters, at a time when the debate on the report on the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks was about to commence.

Minister Gunawardena said that it might be an attempt by the Opposition to sabotage the debate on the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry.

Speaker Abeywardena said the matter raised by the MP was currently before courts.

He said it was believed that the Supreme Court would issue its verdict on MP Ramanayake’s Parliament seat and requested the Opposition leader to wait until that time. He added that there was time to resolve the issue as the time frame to decide on MP Ramanayake’s Parliament seat was expected to fall vacant in April.

He said that as the Speaker he was unable to make a decision in that regard, as MP Ramanayake had been convicted by the Supreme Court and sentenced to jail without bail.

Speaker Abeywardena said there was a legal issue as regards allowing an imprisoned MP without clearance for bail to attend Parliament proceedings. MP Premalal Jayasekara, convicted of murder, had been allowed to attend Parliament. MP Jayasekera was a remand prisoner, while MP Ramanayake was a convict serving a jail term, he said.