Seating arrangement for new Parliament finalized

The seating arrangement for the Members of Parliament has been finalized ahead of the new parliamentary session which is scheduled to be held on the 3rd of January 2020.

When the parliament convenes again, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya will officially announce former Minister Sajith Premadasa as the new Opposition Leader.

Sajith Premadasa has been assigned the 8th seat in the front row of the Opposition’s side while former Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe is allocated the 7th seat in the Opposition, based on seniority.

Meanwhile, a front row seat of the government’s side has been reserved for President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa has been assigned the 7th seat of the front row on government’s side while 6th and 5th seats were assigned for Leader of the House and Chief Government Whip respectively.

It is reported that ministers, state ministers and the government’s parliamentarians are to be seated in the ruling party side according to their seniority.

The seats of the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MPs and other party leaders including Rauf Hakeem and Rishad Bathiudeen have not come under any changes.

MPs Venerable Athuraliye Rathana Thera and Wasantha Senanayake have been assigned seats in the ruling party’s side of the Parliament.

Sergeant-at-Arms of Parliament Narendra Fernando said this seating arrangement was made as per a request made by the House.

Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera was elected as a Member of the Parliament from the national list of the United National Party while Senanayake has served as a State minister during the administration of the former government.

In the meantime, MP Kumara Welgama has been assigned a seat the Opposition’s side, upon his own request.