Dassanayake informed the House that his passport is currently in court custody and stated that, despite submitting a motion along with a letter from the Parliamentary Secretary General and an official invitation from the Chinese Government, repeated objections raised by the Bribery Commission had prevented his participation in the programme.
Speaker of Parliament Jagath Wickramaratne intervened, emphasizing that issues currently before the court cannot be discussed in Parliament, and reminded the MP that the matter is sub judice. “The court has issued an order. We cannot discuss issues of the court in Parliament,” he stated.
Leader of the House Bimal Rathnayake also weighed in, stating that the matter did not constitute a parliamentary privilege issue and remains strictly a legal matter under judicial consideration.
He further cautioned the MP against misinterpreting the situation, stating that he should not become influenced by external political narratives. He noted that the MP is an accused in an ongoing case and that a court order is in effect, making it inappropriate for discussion in the House.
Following these remarks, a heated exchange erupted in the Chamber involving MP Dassanayake, the Speaker, the Leader of the House, and several other Members of Parliament.
Following the tense situation, Speaker of Parliament Jagath Wickramaratne ordered the removal of Opposition MP Chamara Sampath Dassanayake from the Chamber shortly after.
The directive was issued to maintain order and ensure the uninterrupted continuation of parliamentary proceedings, according to parliamentary sources.
