Procedure prevents TNA MP from attending parliament

[TamilNet, Thursday, 22 April 2004, 20:18 GMT]
Mr. Pakiaselvam Ariyanethiran, who will be replacing Mr. Kingsley Rajanayakam, the TNA MP elected from the Batticaloa district who resigned his seat last week, did not attend Sri Lanka’s parliament when it opened on Thursday, as the Elections Commissioner will have to officially gazette his name, sources said.

As a result, during the election of the Speaker of the 225-member parliament on Thursday, there were only 224 MPs present, out of whom 5 Jathika Hela Urumaya (JHU) MPs abstained, resulting in a total of 219 votes cast.

Mr. W.J.M Lokubandara, the United National Front candidate won the vote 110-109.

Mr. Ariyanethiran obtained the 5th highest number of preferential votes in the Batticaloa district. He is expected to attend parliament during its sitting in May, sources said.