Nov 18, Colombo: Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena again insisted on taking another vote in parliament showing majority for him to take a decision on the no-confidence motion against his Prime Minister appointee Mahinda Rajapaksa.
The President has expressed this view at an all-party meeting chaired by him today to resolve the current political crisis
The President called a meeting of all political parties represented in Parliament today to discuss the political unrest prevailed in the parliament and reach a consensus among all political parties to end the crisis and maintain the parliamentary affairs.
The meeting held at the Presidential Secretariat for nearly two hours was cordial and friendly, the President's Media Division said.
All parties agreed to take a suitable decision at the party leaders' meeting to be held tomorrow on how to proceed in the parliament and to conduct parliamentary proceedings peacefully without clashes, the President's Media Division said in a statement.
The President informed everybody who attended the meeting that he could take a decision on the No Confidence Motion against the government only if a vote is taken by name of the Members or by electronic voting.
President Sirisena pointed out that it is the most accepted method of voting system by the intellectuals and the public of the country as well as internationally.
He also stressed the need for adhering to the standing orders without resorting to voice vote which is not transparent, while voting on an important motion to change the government.
The President refused to accept the vote taken by name on Friday favoring the no-confidence motion against Rajapaksa claiming that proper procedure was not followed although the vote was taken by name as per his request. He also rejected the earlier result of the vote taken by voice against the NCM on 14th November asking the parliament to take a vote by name.
All the political parties except the JVP attended the meeting and the President informed the meeting that the JVP had informed him that they would not attend.