Opposition questions ministerial numbers

• JVP says if coalition is suspended ministerial portfolios have to be trimmed to 30 as per 19A 

 By Ashwin Hemmathagama 

– Our Lobby Correspondent

Bitterness over the strained relationship between the United National Party (UNP) and the United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) surfaced again in Parliament with Opposition lawmakers challenging the validity of the increased number of ministerial portfolios in the Unity Government. 

In the absence of an extension of the agreement between the UNP and the UPFA, which was entered into to form the Unity Government, followed by the special sanction of the House to increase the number of ministerial portfolios that cease to exist since December last year with the expiration of the political agreement, Opposition lawmakers demanded an explanation.

Highlighting the provisions of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution, Chief Opposition Whip JVP MP Anura Dissanayake stated that unless there was a National Government the number of ministerial portfolios could not be increased over 30.  “On the first Tuesday of September 2015 when the Parliament sat, it was decided that the National Government was formed for two years. It was also mentioned that the future of the National Government would be decided based on the evaluations. So then it was allowed to increase the number of ministers from 30 to 48 and also the state and the deputy ministers increased from 40 to 45. Gone are the days when governments could arbitrarily increase the number of ministerial portfolios without the approval of the House. So such approval was granted on 1 September 2015 and it came to an end in September 2017,” challenged MP Dissanayake. “Unless new approval is taken from this House, there is no validity in the increased ministerial portfolios. The Speaker has not been informed about the extension of the Unity Government nor has parliamentary approval been sought to accommodate the increased number of ministerial portfolios. We ask questions from these ministers. But under the current circumstances, there is a question about the validity of the answers they give. It is nothing but asking questions from a bunch of ministers who are uncompliant with the Constitution. All decisions the Government took will be reversed immediately if this situation is challenged in the Supreme Court,” he added, advising the Government on the looming threat which could upset the entire country.

According to UPFA Joint Opposition MP Dullas Alahapperuma, there are 24 Members of Parliament holding ministerial portfolios going against the Constitution. “It has been over a month and 20 days that the Unity Government agreement between the UNP and the UPFA expired. This is not a simple question and it continues to ridicule the governance of the entire country,” he added.

Turning down comments on the validity of the Unity Government, the Minister of Higher Education and Highways and Leader of the House of Parliament, Lakshman Kiriella, confirmed that none of the parties had left the agreement. 

“The parties of this National Government haven’t exited,” confirmed Minister Kiriella.