Speaker Karu Jayasuriya yesterday delivering his decision in Parliament stated that the National Freedom Front (NFF) led by Wimal Weerawansa could not be accepted as a separate Party in Parliament as it was not gazetted as one that contested at the last general election.
He also observed that MP Weerawansa had contested under the UPFA.
The Speaker stated that MP Wimal Weerawansa requested on February 22 to allow him ,together with five other MPs, to act as Independents ,after separating them from the UPFA.
The Speaker noted that Opposition MP Wimal Weerawansa in writing requested on March 9, 2016 to accept their party the National Freedom Front (NFF) as an Independent political party, with , Wimal Weerawansa ,as party leader, and guarantee MP Weerawansa’s right to make statements under Standing Order 23(2) and participate at the Party Leaders’ meetings. He also said that MP Weerawansa made a similar request on April 05, 2016.
The speaker further stated that there were many instances in the Sri Lankan Parliamentary history where MPs sat independently after being separated from their political party. On such occasions the Speakers had intervened to guarantee their right to speech and in this Parliament too they had made administrative changes to guarantee such rights recently.
He stated that he had to decide as to whether another party, other than the six parties UNP, UPFA, ITAK, JVP, EPDP and SLMC that contested at the general election on August 17, 2015 and accepted by the election commissioner, could be accepted in Parliament. The Speaker also said the Election Commissioner had gazetted on August 19, 2015 that Wimal Weerawansa contested from the UPFA representing the Colombo district at the General Election on August 17, 2015. The Speaker also said that Election Commissioner had accepted that Wimal Weerawansa had contested from one of the political parties that contested at the same election.
Speaker Karu Jayasuriya further stated that the minutes of the Committee on Parliamentary Affairs has it that the party leaders of the eighth Parliament had unanimously decided on September 01, 2015 that members of only six political parties represent Parliament. He added that he was not concerned over the internal agreements entered into among parties within those six parties. He also added according to sub section 13 of the 99th section of the Constitution, a seat of a member would fall vacant after one month of a member being separated from a party that he contested at the General Election.
He also said that if members were allowed to act independently after contesting from accepted political parties, a situation would be created in Parliament to form many a political parties with single members that would be a threat to the Parliamentary process. He added in similar situations his predecessors had taken various decisions to guarantee members’ rights and to continue the Parliamentary Affairs.