A heated situation erupted in Parliament when Illankai Tamil Arasu Katchi (ITAK) MP Shanakiyan Rasamanickam yesterday (17), alleged that Leader of the House Dinesh Gunawardena stopped him chairing Parliamentary Sitting and invited SLPP MP Shantha Bandara to preside, when he was invited to the chair by the staff.
Raising a Privilege Matter in the House, Rasmanickam said, when he was invited to chair the Sitting, Gunawardena sent messages to the Secretary General of Parliament asking Bandara to be invited instead of him.
“This is a matter of my privilege. Before you (Shantha Bandara) came to the Chair, a staff member at Serjeant-at-Arms’ Department called me and told me that the Speaker needs to leave his chair and requested me to preside over the Sitting. Following that request, I took the chair.