Mr. Speaker [The Hon. (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne]

¶ 01 The Parliament met at 9.30 a.m., with me in the Chair.

¶ 02 ANNOUNCEMENTS

¶ 03 MINISTERIAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEES: NOMINATION OF MEMBER

¶ 04 In terms of Standing Order 128 and the Resolution passed by Parliament on 19th March, 2025, I wish to inform the House that the Committee of Selection has nominated Hon. M. S. Abdul Wahid, MP, to serve on the following Ministerial Consultative Committees: - Ministerial Consultative Committee on Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education - Ministerial Consultative Committee on Urban Development, Housing and Construction - Ministerial Consultative Committee on Health and Mass Media

¶ 05 BACKBENCHER COMMITTEE: NOMINATION OF MEMBER

¶ 06 In terms of the Resolution passed by Parliament on 19th March, 2025 and Standing Order 129, I wish to inform the House that the Committee of Selection has nominated Hon. M. S. Abdul Wahid, MP, to serve on the Backbencher Committee.

¶ 07 COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC PETITIONS: NOMINATION OF MEMBER

¶ 08 In terms of the Resolution passed by Parliament on 19th March, 2025 and Standing Order 125, I wish to inform the House that the Committee of Selection has nominated Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law, MP, to serve on the Committee on Public Petitions.

¶ 09 RULING ON VOTE OF NO-CONFIDENCE AGAINST DEPUTY MINISTER OF DEFENCE

¶ 10 I wish to make this Announcement in furtherance of the Announcement made by me on 19th August, 2025 regarding the Motion titled the ‘No-Confidence Motion’, submitted by a group of 32 Members of Parliament of the Opposition, including the Hon. Leader of the Opposition, on 12th August, 2025 against the Hon. Major General (Rtd.) Aruna Jayasekera, MP and Deputy Minister of Defence.

¶ 11 I have carefully considered this Motion in light of the provisions of the Constitution, the Standing Orders of Parliament and established parliamentary practices and precedents. I also studied the traditions and procedures followed in other Commonwealth and democratic legislatures such as the UK House of Commons, India’s Lok Sabha and Australia’s House of Representatives in this regard.

¶ 12 Under Articles 42, 43 and 44 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, collective and individual ministerial responsibility lies with the Cabinet of Ministers. A Deputy Minister, though a Member of Parliament, is not a Member of the Cabinet and does not bear direct constitutional responsibility to this House in the present context.

¶ 13 The Constitution clearly recognizes that No-Confidence Motions may be brought against the Government as a whole, while the precedents recognize No-Confidence Motions against the Prime Minister or an individual Cabinet Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament. But, there is no provision for such a Motion against a Deputy Minister.

¶ 14 Therefore, if such a Motion is to be accepted today, it would establish an undesirable precedent contrary to the constitutional and parliamentary precedents.

¶ 15 Accordingly, having taken into consideration all these facts, I wish to inform this House that the Motion of No-confidence against the Deputy Minister of Defence is not in order and cannot be accepted in its present form.

¶ 16 Hon. Gayantha Karunathilaka, please.

¶ 17 I also wish to note: Members may study the procedures in Commonwealth parliaments, including the House of Commons and the Lok Sabha. Reports on those practices can be provided. If there is agreement among Members, appropriate steps may be taken accordingly.

¶ 18 I will consider the request to table the reports referred to.

¶ 19 This is not a debate. If there is to be a debate, there are provisions to proceed accordingly.

¶ 20 Please read carefully the Announcement I have made, including the concluding paragraph, which sets out what Members can do under the rules.

¶ 21 The documents accepted by the Chair will now be taken up.

¶ 22 BUDGET ESTIMATE OF COMMISSION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERY OR CORRUPTION - 2026

¶ 23 Under Section 31(1)(a) of the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023, I lay on the Table the Budget Estimate for the year 2026 of the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, prepared by the Commission and presented with the observations of the Minister in charge of the subject of Finance.

¶ 24 Question put, and agreed to.

¶ 25 PAPERS PRESENTED