Ministry Expenditure Heads defeated in parliament

All Expenditure heads of the Ministries of Internal and Home Affairs, Provincial Councils  Local Govt and Megapolis and Western Development were defeated in Parliament yesterday during the committee stage debate on the 2019 budget.

When a vote was taken on the expenditure heads of the Ministries of Internal  Home Affairs and Provincial Council and Local Government the opposition moved against it.

A majority of the government party were not within the chamber at the time.

Accordingly 38 votes were cast against, while only 23 votes were cast in favour of the expenditure heads of the Ministries of Internal  Home Affairs Provincial Council and Local Government.

The Opposition also voted against the expenditure heads of the Ministry of Megapolis and Western Development with 38 votes cast against and 24 votes cast in favour.

Accordingly Speaker Karu Jayasuriya informed the house that the expenditure heads for the relevant ministries were not passed.

Following the defeat of the relevant expenditure heads, opposition Parliamentarians Mahindananda Aluthgamage and Shehan Semasinghe and Government faction MP Wijepala Hettiarachchi and Mujibur Rahman expressed their views on the turn of events.

Member of Parliament Mahindananda Aluthgamage said as a strong opposition they had imposed a significant defeat of the government.

He added two Ministries of great importance were debated which are Western Development and Home Affairs.

The MP added the government could not vote to protect itself..

Taking the floor Member of Parliament Shehan Semasinghe said Government MPs were missing in parliament to vote for the budget they had presented.

He added those Ministers who were absent were warned by the defeat and hoped they would learn a lesson from the incident.

Joining the debate, Member of Parliament Wijepala Hettiarachchi said the expenditure heads could be presented again and passed.

He added even though most Local Government bodies were with the Opposition the salaries are paid by the central government which would now stop and the Opposition had dug itself a hole.

Finally joining the debate, Member of Parliament Mujibur Rahman said hide and seek would not help to topple the government.

He added the final vote on the budget will be taken on the 5th of April and challenged the opposition to attempt to defeat it.

Meanwhile Leader of the House Minister Lakshman Kiriella said the defeated expenditure heads would be presented before parliament once again under standing orders.

Making a special statement to media at the Parliamentary complex last night the Minister Kiriella said the expenditure heads would be presented at the earliest either today or tomorrow.