Government to end on May 8?? JO hung up on a British tradition says Lakthilaka

Claims of the Joint opposition that they will the topple the government after the President’s speech on the throne at the beginning of the new parliament session is baseless says Senior Advisor to the President, Attorney at Law Shiral Lakthilaka.

Lakthilaka made this claim following reports that the Joint Opposition along with a section of the SLFP are attempting to defeat the President’s speech from the throne at the new parliamentary session..

While the new session will commence on May 8, reports say the President will deliver a speech from the throne consisting of the government’s policies. 

In 1960, then Prime Minister Dudley Senanayake had to resign when his speech from the throne was defeated in parliament. 

However explaining the concept Lakthilaka said the speech from the throne is a British westminster tradition and this was discarded in Sri Lanka along with the introduction of the 1972 constitution. 

“Therefore the government cannot be toppled just because a speech from the throne is defeated” he said adding that there is no mention of a vote being called after such a speech in the parliamentary standing orders.

According to him it is also not a must for the President to make a such a speech at the beginning of a new session. “He can choose to not make a speech,” Lakthilaka said.

“Therefore statements regarding the speech from the throne by the JO is a mere public and media spectacle” he further added.