Speaker allows six adjournment questions weekly in P’ment

Wednesday, 7 May 2014 00:48 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

By Ashwin Hemmathagama Our Lobby Correspondent In lieu of the adjournment motions, the Parliament will allow six adjournment questions equally distributed among the Government and Opposition members from today.

According to Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa, both Opposition and the Government members can raise three questions on important public matters once a week after the adjournment debate; a decision taken by Committee on Parliamentary Business. “One hour will be allocated for adjournment questions on the days after the adjournment debate. In case either party fails to submit an adequate number of questions, the remaining party will be allowed to move additional questions. The Speaker will decide on the validity of the questions. The members should channel their questions through the respective organisers of the political parties to reach the Secretary General of Parliament before 10 a.m. of the sitting day. “The Leader of the House of Parliament should pass the questions to the respective Ministers to reply. However, Ministers will have the rights to reply, refrain from replying, or to request the question to be listed as a question for oral answers. Adjournment questions will not have the right for supplementary questions and be subjected to Standing Orders 31 (1),” Speaker Rajapaksa said.