The final decision with regard to the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) sponsored No Confidence Motion (NCM) against Energy Minister Udaya Gammanpila is due to be taken up at the Government Parliamentary Group meeting to be held under the patronage of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa today (July 18), highly informed sources told the Sunday Observer yesterday.
However, some Government lawmakers have already said that the NCM against Minister Gammanpila will definitely be defeated in Parliament by a two-thirds majority.
The NCM against Energy Minister Gammanpila will be taken up for debate in Parliament tomorrow and the day after (July 19 and 20). SLFP General Secretary State Minister Dayasiri Jayasekara said that the SLFP has no intention of supporting the SJB’s No-Confidence Motion against Minister Gammanpila.
Jayasekara said, “The decision to increase fuel prices was not taken by Minister Udaya Gammanpila alone. That decision was taken by the Committee of the Cost-of-living. Subsequently, that decision had been forwarded and approved by the Cabinet of Ministers for implementation. Hence, Minister Udaya Gammanpila is not responsible for the fuel price hike.”
The No Confidence Motion (NCM) against Minister Gammanpila signed by 43 SJB MPs was presented to Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardene by Chief Opposition Whip MP Lakshman Kiriella on June 22.
On July 5, the Committee on Parliamentary Business chaired by the Speaker, decided to hold the debate and vote on the No Confidence Motion against Minister Gammanpila on July 19 and 20.
The members of the main Opposition SJB said that the fuel price increase was an arbitrary act by the Minister. According to the NCM, there are ten allegations against Minister Gammanpila including his failure to provide the benefit of global fuel price reduction to the people last year.