Chief Govt. Whip calls on Speaker to probe brief power outage in Parliament

• Claims CEB responsible for uninterrupted power supply to Parliament
• 2 MPs stuck in Parliament lift for 15 minutes due to power outage

Chief Government Whip and Minister Johnston Fernando yesterday requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to call for a criminal investigation into the temporary power outage experienced during the Budget debate.

Fernando said the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB) was responsible for the uninterrupted supply to the Parliament and the power outage within the House even though brief needs to be investigated.

He said the maintenance of electricity should not be outsourced, but Parliament should be given the power to ensure that such incidents are not repeated.

MPs Thushara Indunil Amarasena and Lalith Ellawala were stuck for 15 minutes in a Parliament lift as a result of the power outage yesterday.