TNA to participate in debate

WEDNESDAY, 09 JANUARY 2013

The Tamil National Alliance (TNA) which earlier said they would not participate in the debate on the impeachment, confirmed a short while ago that they would participate and vote against it.

TNA MP Mavai Senadhiraja said the party took this decision after the party high command met last evening to decide on the stance to be adopted by the party.

The UNP earlier said that they would participate and vote against the motion while the DNA confirmed that they would not be a part of the debate. (Menaka Mookandi)

No change in govt. decision to impeach CJ

By Saman Indrajith-January 9, 2013, 10:01 pm

The government will go ahead with the two-day impeachment debate today (10) and tomorrow as planned, as the last attempt made by the Opposition parties to have it postponed failed yesterday.

Accordingly, the vote on the impeachment motion will be taken at 6.30 p.m on Friday.

Another meeting of party leaders was held yesterday, with Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa presiding, following a written request made by the UNP, DNA and TNA on the matter.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickreme-singhe pointed out that the Parliamentary Select Committee, probing charges mentioned in the impeachment motion against Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake and its report had been declared void by the Court, therefore the House taking it up for debate was pointless, party sources said.

Leader of the House Irrigation Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva pointed out that Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa had reiterated that outside institutions could not get involved in the matters of Parliament and therefore the Court order on the PSC and its report was irrelevant, and the party leaders could decide a future course of action.

The Opposition party leaders asked, during the meeting, for the opinion of the Speaker on the Court order and whether the House taking the matter for debate would be constitutional.

Party sources said that Speaker had responded that he had not received any such order.

The UNP and TNA said that they would participate in the debate while the DNA said they would boycott it. The DNA members pointed out that they would not participate in a debate on a matter declared void by a Court of law and thereby give legitimacy to it.

The UNP has requested the Speaker whether this debate could be aired live on TV. Though the government party leaders expressed their approval, no final decision had been taken as yet in this regard, sources said.