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by Florence Wickramage

Parliament has been made infirm and activities paralysed with the non-appointment of a Secretary General. The tenure of office of the Acting Secretary General appointed for 14 days lapsed on August 27th, Parliamentary Affairs Minister A.H.M.Azwer told the Daily News yesterday.

Minister Azwer said that he along with Member of Parliament M.H.Mohamed had brought this matter to the notice of Parliament at its last sittings and had stressed the need for the appointment of a Secretary General by the President as required by the Sri Lankan Parliament. If this situation were to continue further Parliamentary activities such as Parliamentary Bills, Petitions, payment of salaries of Parliament staff, police; the resignation of a Member of Parliament,(MP) death of an MP and Swearing in of a new MP if any, etc. would be adversely affected since all these matters require primarily the Secretary General's approval.

The Minister further pointed out that this situation is unparalleled anywhere and the Speaker is unable to take any action in these circumstances. Unlike in the Lok Sabha in India where the Speaker has overall powers and severely independent, the Sri Lankan Constitution has no such provisions for the Speaker who is bound by the Constitution.

Minister Azwer said that Mr. Jeyaraj Fernandopulle MP, too in the last sittings had commented on this situation and said that it was left to the President under Section 65(1) of the Sri Lankan Constitution to make this appointment without causing further chaos in the administrastion and the conduct of business in the House.

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