(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –A motion to suspend state funds to all Ministers and their personal staff, was passed by Parliament today.
The motion was passed with 122 members voting for it.
The motion was submitted by United National Front Parliamentarian Patali Champika Ranwaka.
The motion noted that secretaries to any and all Ministries have no authority to approve any payment of monies drawn from the funds of the Republic for Ministers, State Ministers, Deputy Ministers and their personal staff.
The motion noted that the House on 16th November, 2018, accepted the official statement made by the Speaker on 15th November, 2018 that, in terms of paragraph 2 of the No Confidence Motion against the Government adopted on 14th November 2018, the Cabinet of Ministers stood dissolved in terms of Article 48 of the Constitution, and accordingly this House further resolved that, since 26th October, 2018, as contemplated in Article 48 of the Constitution, this House had no confidence in the Government including Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The motion also notes that Parliament has full control over Public Finance as mandated in
Article 148 of the Constitution and so Parliament resolves that from 15th November, 2018, secretaries to any and all Ministries have no authority to approve any payment of monies drawn from the funds of the Republic to pay for the salaries and other emoluments of Ministers, State Ministers, Deputy Ministers and their personal staff and are also prohibited from defraying expenses incurred in foreign travel, internal air travel including use of helicopters on behalf of the above Ministers and any person taking any action in violation of this resolution will be dealt with according to law.
