The Public Administration Ministry has informed the 16 SLFP MPs who resigned from their ministerial portfolios and joined the Opposition to vacate their official residences and hand over the keys to the authorities.
In the event of their failure to comply with this, the Ministry will be compelled to take legal action to evict them, Public Administration and Management and Law and Order Minister Ranjith Madduma Bandara told the Sunday Observer yesterday. The Minister said by now some of the 16-member group of MPs have already vacated their residences.
Although the 16-member group of SLFP MPs quit the Government three months ago, yet some of them still continue to occupy their official residences, it is reliably learnt.
Highly informed sources told the Sunday Observer of the 16 member SLFP MPs who quit the Government, nine of them who held Cabinet, State and Deputy ministerial portfolios have not yet vacated their official residences.
Meanwhile, SLFP 16-member group MP Chandima Weerakkody told the Sunday Observer they continue to occupy their official residences to date after making the due payments to the Government and added that the rent for the residence is being deducted from their monthly salaries. “Therefore, I don’t see anything irregular in occupying these residences, ’’ he said.