11 lawmakers appointed to Panel of Chairs

Speaker Karu Jayasuriya nominated 11 lawmakers to the Panel of Chairs in the Parliament yesterday.

Representing the Unity Government as well as the Opposition, lawmakers Piyankara Jayaratne, Lucky Jayawardana, Bimal Rathnayake, Edward Gunasekara, J.M. Ananda Kumarasiri, K. Thurairetnasingam, Shehan Semasinghe, Kanaka Herath, Velu Kumar, Mujibur Rahuman and Dr. Thusitha Wijemanna were on the list of nominations the Speaker announced.

According to Parliament Standing Order 140, the Speaker should nominate at the commencement of every Session of Parliament, a Panel of Chairs of no less than four members to act as temporary Chair of Committees when requested by the Deputy Speaker or in the absence of the Deputy Speaker, by the Deputy Chairperson of Committees and may vary the constitution of the panel from time to time. Anything which may be done by the Deputy Speaker may also be done by a temporary Chair when presiding in place of the Deputy Speaker. (AH)