Lankan parties to set up panel to run House

Colombo, November 19

Political parties in Sri Lanka agreed on Monday to form a select committee to conduct parliamentary affairs amidst a power struggle set off by President Maithripapala Sirisena’s controversial decision to remove PM Ranil Wickeremesinghe last month.

Sri Lanka’s Parliament, which was convened on Monday for a third floor test against disputed PM Mahinda Rajapaksa, was adjourned just 10 minutes after its opening as the lawmakers could not decide on the members of the committee. The decision to form the select committee came a day after an all-party meeting called by President Sirisena to resolve the crisis ended inconclusively.

The crisis erupted when President Sirisena suddenly announced on October 26 that he had sacked PM Wickremesinghe and installed ex-strongman Rajapaksa in his place. Sirisena later dissolved Parliament, almost 20 months before its term was to end, and ordered snap poll. The SC on Tuesday overturned President Sirisena’s move to dissolve Parliament and halted the preparations for snap polls on January 5. 

When the House was convened on Monday, Deputy Speaker Ananda Kumarasiri said the party leaders who met earlier in the day resolved that a select committee would be appointed to conduct the parliamentary business. — PTI