No-Confidence motion against Deputy Defence Minister delayed

The formal submission of a no-confidence motion against Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekera has been delayed due to the absence of Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, parliamentary sources said today.

According to reports, Speaker Wickramaratne is currently out of Colombo on official duties, which has postponed the planned handover.

The Opposition has drafted a no-confidence motion consisting of 19 points against Deputy Minister Jayasekara.

The motion scheduled to be handed over to the Speaker’s Office today (11) accuses Jayasekara of having failed to take any action during his tenure as the Security Forces Commander of the Eastern Province, where the process leading to the Easter Sunday attacks originated, despite his position of responsibility. He is also charged with dereliction of duty, failing to act properly during related investigations, and being a potential impediment to future investigative efforts.

However, sources from the Opposition Leader’s Office confirmed that the motion is now expected to be submitted tomorrow at noon.