For nearly ten years, the position of opposition leader was held by one individual, leader of the United National Party Ranil Wickremesinghe.

However, after the victory of President Maithripala Sirisena during the concluded January 8 presidential election, Ranil Wickremesinghe was named the Prime Minister of the new administration. The position of opposition leader went to the former leader of the house UPFA MP Nimal Siripala de Silva.

A few months afterwards a group of SLFP members joined the new administration and took up ministerial portfolios. This led to a debate on who should be the opposition leader. A few of the names put up for consideration to replace Nimal Siripala were MP Dinesh Gunawardena who was the Former Chief Government Whip and JVP leader Anura Kumara Dissanayake.

The decision on who should be the leader of opposition leader of parliament was vested with the Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa. However, responding to a question raised by Former Minister Kumara Welgama when Parliament convened on Tuesday, the speaker stated that he requires more time to assess the situation and reach a final verdict.

The speaker remarked that the current situation in Parliament as a new scenario that has taken place. He stated that as a result of this, a decision on who should be the opposition leader should be made following further analysis. He went on to state that he had received eleven petitions filed with the Supreme court on the 19th Amendment to the Constitution.

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