Standing orders:
Observed in the breach
The dignity and decorum of Parliament has been on the decline as
evidenced from the instances of verbal exchanges using unparliamentarily
language to throwing bottles and fisticuffs. Former Secretary General of
Parliament Nihal Seneviratne told the Sunday Observer that the
inadequacy of Standing Orders to firmly deal with such unwarranted
situations is one of the major causes of indiscipline in the House.
He said these Standing Orders formulated decades ago, need updating
to meet the challenge of passing times. Chief of Staff and Deputy
Secretary General of Parliament Neil Iddawala confirmed that a decision
has already been made to revise Standing Orders. |