Sri Lankan Speaker Karu Jayasuriya on Friday said that President Maithripala Sirisena has agreed to summon parliament on November 7 after political parties urged him to conduct a floor test, Reuters reported.
“President called me over the phone and stated to call the parliament on November 7,” said Jayasuriya. He added that even though Sirisena had suspended the legislature till November 16, he agreed to reconvene it after a “cordial discussion”, Ada Derena reported.
Jayasuriya said a gazette notification about the resumption will be issued soon.
On October 26, Sirisena appointed Mahinda Rajapaksa the prime minister after sacking Ranil Wickremesinghe from the post. The next day, Sirisena suspended parliament till November 16. Two days later, Rajapaksa assumed charge and called for snap parliamentary elections to overcome the “economic and political crisis”.
Jayasuriya had earlier questioned Sirisena’s decision to sack his former ally. Wickremesinghe maintains that his removal is unconstitutional and has called for a floor test to prove his majority in the 225-member parliament.
Sirisena on Thursday lifted the suspension of parliament amid the ongoing political crisis and summoned it on November 5. Later in the day, lawmaker Susil Premajayantha contradicted the statement and said the Parliament would convene only on November 16.
Premajayantha told reporters that at least three working days are needed before the president can reconvene Parliament after its suspension. “Therefore, parliament cannot be reconvened on November 5,” Premjayantha said. “Reports to that effect are incorrect.”
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