Government intervention in no-confidence motion against Speaker is anti-democratic - Sajith

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has pointed out that pressure from the government side to change the contents of the no-confidence motion brought by the opposition parties against the Speaker is an unnecessary and dangerous intervention by the executive in the independence of the legislature.

He made these remarks during an urgent speech in Parliament yesterday (06.11.2026), raising a privilege issue.

He said that he and opposition MPs Mano Ganesan, Dayasiri Jayasekara, Mujibur Rahman and Shanaka Madugoda raised privilege issues in the House, and that the main reason was the arbitrary refusal to take up for debate the no-confidence motion the opposition parties jointly brought against the Speaker.

He further stressed that protecting the independence of the executive, legislature and judiciary under the constitution is the foundation of democracy.

The dispute adds to a series of confrontations between the opposition and the government over the conduct of parliamentary affairs. Premadasa said the opposition would continue to raise privilege issues in the House until the motion is taken up for debate in the proper manner.