Committee to probe violent incidents in parliament

A committee is to be appointed to inquire into the incidents which occurred during the parliamentary proceedings on the 14th, 15th and 16th November.

According to the Speaker Karu Jayasuriya, the committee will be appointed under the Deputy Speaker of the Parliament.

The other members of the committee include the former Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa, Parliamentarians Ranjith Madduma Bandara, Chandrasiri Gajadeera, Bimal Rathnayake and Mavai S. Senathirajah.

The Speaker stated that police investigations regarding the violent incidents in the Parliament are ongoing, however, this committee is appointed for an internal broad investigation.

He further said the report of the committee would be presented to the Parliament forthwith.

The country’s political crisis deepened owing to the uproar among the legislators that emerged during the parliamentary sessions held on the 14th, 15th and 16th of November.

President Maithripala Sirisena abruptly sacked Ranil Wickremesinghe from the Premiership on October 26, replacing him with former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, and the following day he prorogued the Parliament until November 16, allegedly due to the lack of support to show the majority in the Chamber.

However, the Parliament was reconvened on November 14, in accordance with a gazette notification issued by President Sirisena, and adjourned as a result of a chaotic session.

During the parliamentary session held on November 15 the clashes that emerged among the parliamentarians had caused damages to the properties of the Chamber.

Meanwhile, a complaint had been lodged against MP Palitha Thewarapperuma for brandishing a knife inside the Chamber.

On November 27, Police Media Spokesperson Ruwan Gunasekara stated that the police have launched investigations into five complaints lodged with regard to the tense situation at the Parliament.