House has no powers to direct media houses – Speaker

Ranil Wijayapala and Irangika Range

KOTTE: Parliament has no powers to direct any newspaper organisations to publish what has transpired inside the Parliament and it is a matter of media ethics speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara said yesterday.

Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara made these remarks responding to a clarification sought by Minister Jeyaraj Fernandopulle, regarding the decision taken by newspapers not to publish the remarks he made in Parliament on Supreme Court decision depriving former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga of her official residence and security, under the cover of contempt of court.

Minister Fernandopulle argued that the freedom of expression given to Mp’s is meaningless if the speeches made by them within Parliament do not go to the public through media.

The Minister stated that newspapers did not carry any of the remarks he made in the parliament criticising the Supreme Court decision given against former President Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, depriving her of her official residence and security.

“The newspapers did not carry the remarks made by me fearing that they would be subjected to contempt of court for criticising the Supreme Court decision,” Minister Fernandopulle added.

Joining the dialogue Opposition Leader Ranil wickremesinghe said that the Judicial powers of the public have been vested with parliament, and Parliament has the powers to even convene the newspaper editors and direct them to publish, the said report in newspapers.

However, responding to the remarks made by Opposition Leader Wickremesinghe, Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara said that the House should also remember that the supreme power vested in the Parliament was removed during the J.R. Jayewardene regime.

Joining the fray, former Speaker Joseph Michael Perera pointed out that the only powers vested with the Parliament to punish the public were removed from the Parliament.

“The powers to conduct inquiries still lie with Parliament,” Perera said.