Speaker see eye to eye on Parliament dissolution

“If the government and the opposition want to dissolve the parliament, I also see eye to eye on the matter,” Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said on Wednesday (3).  

The observation was made as an argument broke out at the House involving former Minister Dinesh Gunawardena with Minister Lakshman Kiriella and Prime Minister Ranil Wickramasinghe concerning the citizenship of the Central Bank Governor.

“The political situation at the House is chaotic. Thus, we always request the United National Party (UNP) to dissolve the parliament without any delay,” Kiriella said.

In response to the observation, Speaker Rajapaksa made the above statement, Ada Derana parliament reporter said. 

The opposition earlier alleged that for the first time in the history, Arjuna Mahendran, a Singaporean, has placed his signature to the currency bills of Sri Lanka. Former Minister Prof. G.L. Peiris held Prime Minister Wickremesinghe responsible for this appointment, and vowed a no-confidence motion against the PM and the government.

Mahendran has been in the spotlight recently due to the controversy surrounding a Treasury bond issue by the Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL). There had been rising concerns in bond markets over controversial deals made by Perpetual Treasuries, a firm connected to Arjun Aloysius, the son-in-law of Governor Mahendran. 

Last March, the President appointed a three-member committee to investigate alleged irregularities surrounding the bond issue as well.