After the brawl:

House to get new Standing Orders

By Uditha Kumarasinghe

In the wake of a series of incidents of breach of privilege in Parliament, a draft document has already been made to amend existing Standing Orders which were last amended in 1993, incorporating new key amendments and new provisions to regulate the businesses of Parliament.

Parliament authorities have already completed the draft to amend Standing Orders and it has laid emphasis on two aspects - updating existing Standing Orders and covering new additions, Secretary General of Parliament Dhammika Dasanayake told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

The draft to amend Standing Orders has already been prepared and copies given to members of the Business Committee. Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has also appointed a special committee consisting of former Speaker MP Chamal Rajapaksa, Opposition Leader R.Sampanthan and Ministers Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe and Rauff Hakeem.

“We have already given a copy to the special committee and the Speaker is expecting a feedback from them. After which another draft will be formulated and presented to Party Leaders. If it is approved, it will be presented to Parliament.”

The draft document proposes to increase penal provisions relating to Members of Parliament who violate Standing Orders.