Sumanthiran calls for vote on Emergency Proclamation

COLOMBO (News 1st); TNA Parliamentarian M. A. Sumanthiran has insisted that the Emergency Proclamation be put to a vote in Parliament.

"I raised the issue of the Emergency Proclamation being approved by Parliament yesterday (5). The honorable Leader of the House stated that it will be put to vote today (6)," the MP said.

He went on to note that the revocation of the Emergency Proclamation has no bearing on the vote, he told Parliament, adding that whenever an Emergency is proclaimed it must be approved by the Parliament and subsequent revocation has no bearing on it.

"The Government may be running scared to take a vote in parliament, but they cannot escape from the constitutional duty of having the emergency proclamation placed in parliament and a vote taken on it," he added.

Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena said at the Party Leaders meeting it was made clear that the Emergency Proclamation will be tabled in the house on Wednesday (6) and a vote will take place later.

"We know the constitutional provisions and we know when it will lapse," he added.

Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa revoked the proclamation of Public Emergency with effect from midnight on 5th April 2022.