December 16, Colombo (LNW): Sri Lanka’s Parliament is set to appoint a new Speaker tomorrow (17).
This follows the position being vacant due to the resignation of its former bearer MP Asoka Ranwala.
The parliamentary sessions scheduled for December 17 and 18 will see the submission of nominations for the role on the first day, with the final decision expected to follow shortly thereafter.
Three names have been put forward by the ruling party for consideration. These include the current Deputy Speaker, Dr. Rizvie Salih, MP Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi, and MP Nihal Galappaththi.
A meeting of the ruling party’s parliamentary group is expected to take place today (16), where a final decision will be made regarding the nomination of a new Speaker.
The opposition has also indicated that it will put forward a candidate of its own for the Speaker’s position, although some members have voiced concerns over the appropriateness of nominating an opposition-aligned MP.
Ranwala, the former Speaker of the Tenth Parliament, officially resigned from his post on December 13, citing controversy surrounding his educational qualifications. The resignation has created a historical precedent, as it is the first time in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary history that a Speaker has stepped down from the position.
