Protect Ranil's Privileges As PM, Speaker Urges Sirisena

Cites serious constitutional crisis, requests President to reconvene Parliament

- Meera Srinivasan

The Speaker of the Sri Lankan Parliament, Karu Jayasuriya, on Sunday urged President Maithripala Sirisena to protect the rights and privileges of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe until his majority in the House was challenged by another member.

Further, citing possible “serious consequences” of the President’s decision to suspend Parliament till November 16, he pressed Mr. Sirisena to reconvene the House.

‘Foremost duty’

“I consider it my foremost duty to protect the rights and privileges of all Members of Parliament, especially in the context of the serious political­constitutional crisis which has arisen in the country,” Mr. Jayasuriya said in a letter to the President.