Debate takes a back seat due to seating tussle

Uditha Kumarasinghe and Ranil Wijayapala

KOTTE: The new seating arrangements in Parliament turned into a controversial issue yesterday.

The Speaker had to suspend the proceedings and call for an immediate Party Leaders' meeting to reach a consensus over the new seating arrangements.

According to the new seating arrangements, the front row of Government benches w2as represented by JHU Parliamentary Group Leader Ven. Athuraliye Rathana Thera and newly appointed Ministers Karu Jayasuriya, Prof. G. L. Peiris, Rauff Hakeem, P. Dayaratne and M. H. Mohamed.

Raising a point of order Urban Development and Sacred City Development Minister Dinesh Gunawardena asked Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara about the basis of methodology followed to reserve these new seating arrangements.

"We are ready to sit on any seat reserved for us. But I would like to know about the methodology followed by the Speaker to make these new seating arrangements." The Minister said seating arrangements are made under the Standing Orders 2 and 3.

Therefore the Speaker should take the entire responsibility of this issue and entirely decide on the methodology of making these seating arrangements. The Speaker said according to the procedure, Party Leaders should be seated in the first row. "I was also surprised about Minister Gunawardena being seated at the second row."

UNP Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella requested the Speaker to inform the House on the numbers of political parties represented in the Government. Party leaders including Dinesh Gunawardene and Ferial Ashraff have been given second row seats, he said.

The Speaker said that after inquiring from the Leader of the House and Chief Government Whip, he will inform the House on the political parties represented in the Government.

He said Parliament also has a list based on the seniority of Parliamentarians. "Certain problems have arisen on these new seating arrangements.

"But I have also instructed to give priority to Party Leaders when these new seating arrangements are made."