SJB decides to oust members who backed 20A

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has decided to oust the members who voted in support of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution.

The decision was reportedly taken at the meeting of SJB’s parliamentary group held last evening (23). Three other suggestions have also been proposed during the meeting, according to reports.

Speaking in this regard, the party’s General Secretary MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara said these measures will be implemented without delay.

Eight legislators representing the SJB, namely Diana Gamage, Nazeer Ahamed, A.A.S.M. Raheem, Faizal Caseem, H.M.M. Harees, M.S. Thowfeek, Arvind Kumar and Ishak Rahman had backed the 20th Amendment to the Constitution at the vote held in Parliament on Thursday night (22).

MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, speaking to media following the vote, had vowed to take disciplinary action against SJB’s assistant secretary, National List MP Diana Gamage.

In the meantime, 22 SJB parliamentarians yesterday called for the suspension of membership of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) and All Ceylon Makkal Congress (ACMC) members who supported the government to pass the draft bill.

Directing a letter to the party’s General Secretary, they expressed dissent over the conduct of these ACMC and SLMC members for going against SJB’s collective decision to vote against the new amendment.

The letter was signed by MPs Harin Fernando, Nalin Bandara, Hector Appuhamy, Sujith Perera, Niroshan Perera, Mayantha Dissanayake, Mujibur Rahuman, Kins Nelson, Roshini Wijeratne, J.C. Alawathuwala, Ashoka Abeysinghe, Buddhika Pathirana, Chaminda Wijesiri, Hesha Withanage, S.M. Marikkar, Dilip Wedaarachchi, Harsha de Silva, Manusha Nanayakkara, Imran Maharoot, Thushara Indunil, Eran Wickramaratne and Harshana Rajakaruna.