Proceedings suspended Party Leaders meeting

Uditha Kumarasinghe, Irangika Range and Sandasen Marasinghe

Parliament proceedings were suspended for 10 minutes due to an immediate Party Leader's meeting yesterday.

Speaker W. J. M. Lokubandara suspended the proceedings following a request by Chief Government Whip Dinesh Gunawardene to call an immediate party leaders' meeting to make several changes of the agenda.

The Chief Government Whip said a new date and a time have to be fixed for the Adjournment Motion which had to be moved in Parliament yesterday as the Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister Karu Jayasuriya who was scheduled to give the reply speech, is not well.

Chief Opposition Whip Joseph Michael Perera said they were prepared to speak at this adjournment debate.

"Therefore we would have been informed this earlier."

Minister Gunawardene said illnesses do not take place with prior notice.

The National Freedom Front MP Wimal Weerawansa said they moved this motion as it's important. If this motion cannot be debated today, time should be given to debate it on another day.

After the proceedings resumed, the Speaker announced, the party leaders have decided to conduct the adjournment debate on the next Parliament day.