Parliament approves extending emergency

The motion to extend the State of Emergency in Sri Lanka by another month was passed in the Parliament today with a majority of 40 votes.

Ada Derana reporter said that 40 MPs voted in favour of the motion while only 2 members voted against it.

The parliamentarians of the UNP and the UPFA present in the House voted in favour of the motion while the TNA MPs  S. Sridharan and Selvam Adaikalanathan voted against.

The Extraordinary Gazette notification was issued extending the State of Emergency in Sri Lanka by another month with effect from July 22.

President Maithripala Sirisena said in the decree he believed there was a “public emergency” in the country, and was invoking provisions of the Public Security Act extending the state of emergency.

The tough laws, granting sweeping powers to police and security forces to arrest and detain suspects, were due to expire.

A State of Emergency was declared in the island on April 22, considering the security situation of the country following the Easter Day terror attacks on 04/21.

The emergency was extended by a month on May 22. It was again extended by another month on June 22. It has been extended for the third with effect from today.

The emergency can be declared for a month at a time, and Parliament must ratify it within 10 days.