Hon. Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law - Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, I wish to raise a matter of Order under Standing Order 58 (91)(c) and draw your attention to it. This morning, Hon. Nizam Kariapper made certain clarifications. I challenged the Opposition: let anyone show me where in the Statute Book it says an “open vote” must be held prior to the Mayor’s election under the Local Authorities Elections law. I clearly stated it operates only at the discretion of the Provincial Commissioner. The Opposition began claiming everywhere that the Statute Book provides for an open vote. I challenged any Member to show where it is. I set it out clearly.

¶ 02 Hon. Deputy Speaker, we cannot allow seniority to be used to mislead this House. It was a clear and deliberate insult to claim I misled the House. Compare the voice-cuts: his and mine. The answer given today was like “going nowhere, with nothing in the bag.” The Provincial Commissioner’s final circular, in its last paragraph, states that any preliminary vote prior to the Mayor’s election is conducted solely at the discretion of the Provincial Commissioner. We cannot allow the House to be led astray in this way. Also, it is worth asking who granted Mr. Nizam Kariapper his President’s Counsel status.