Secretary to minister not have power to meet any expenditure: Wickremsinghe’s ministers

In Sri Lanka, six former ministers supporting Ranil Wickremsinghe on Wednesday submitted a parliament motion saying secretary to any minister does not have power to meet any expenditure since parliament has passed no confidence motion against the new government.

The motion submitted to Secretary General also warned any one violating the resolution to be dealt according to law.

The motion is likely to come up for voting next week. It stated that since the no confidence motion was passed on November 14, the Prime Minister and his cabinet has ceased to hold office from November 15.

However, the new government of Mahinda Rajapaksa and President Maithripala Sirisena have disputed the no confidence motion saying it violated the parliamentary procedure and accused speaker of bias.

Parliament speaker Karu Jaysurya in a statement issued today said protests conducted within and outside Parliament by portraying his stand as being biased will no longer serve any purpose.

He said proving beyond doubt that the current dispensation commands the support of the majority of the house would be more prudent than protests and demonstrations.