Parliament directs MP Bathiudeen be brought to House today

The Sergeant at Arms of Parliament has written to the Secretary to the Ministry of Health, the Director General of Health Services as well as the prison authorities to ensure that SJB Vanni District MP Rishad Bathiudeen who is in remand custody is brought to Parliament today.

The letter was sent following a decision by Party Leaders to facilitate the MP to attend sittings in keeping with the Parliament (Powers & Privileges) Act.

It will be a crucial day in parliament today with the vote on the 20th Amendment scheduled for late evening. Earlier in the day , State Minister of Prison Reforms & Prisoners’ Rehabilitation Sudharshini Fernandopulle said he can attend Parliament only after completing 14 days at a quarantine Centre in keeping with the procedure adapted to keep prisons COVID-19 free. Responding to a query raised by Chief opposition Whip Lakshman Kiriella why arrangements have not been made to enable Bathuideen to attend Parliamentary sessions, the State Minister said there are over 30,000 remand prisoners at present  and there were stringent measures put in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Speaker Mahinda  Yapa Abeywardena said that the necessary health procedures have to be  followed before the detained MP is allowed to attend sittings.

When Opposition MPs inquired how  SLPP MP Premalal Jayasekera who was in prison serving a death, sentence was allowed to attend sittings, Jayasekera said that he  had been moved out of the prison and kept in quarantine  for two weeks before being allowed to attend parliament sittings.