CO​PE meetings suspended until further notice, Speaker announces

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) meetings will be suspended until the matter concerning its chairman is resolved, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced.

The Speaker's decision follows a request from opposition MPs to remove COPE Chairman Ranjith Bandara from his position.

"The issue regarding Professor Bandara must be resolved by COPE members in accordance with the standing orders," the Speaker said.

In light of these developments, the COPE meeting scheduled for 1:00 pm today has also been canceled, the Speaker said.