The motion to remove the chairman of the Public Utilities Commission of Sri Lanka (PUCSL) Janaka Ratnayake from its membership was passed by 46 majority votes in Parliament yesterday (24).
123 votes were received in favour of the resolution and only 77 votes were received against. The Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna voted in favour of the proposal with Independent member Kurunegala District MP Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.
SJB MPs Kalutara District MP Kumara Welgama, Colombo District MP A.H.M. Fowzie, Badulla District MP Vadivel Suresh voted together with the government.
In Opposition, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Tamil National Alliance, National Jana Balawegaya, Free Janatha Sabha and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress voted against the resolution while the Tamil National Alliance abstained from voting.
MP Ali Sabri Raheem who was detained by Sri Lanka Customs for illegally carrying gold and mobile phones at the Bandaranaike International Airport and was subsequently released, voted against the resolution moved by the government.
The MP said that he voted against the resolution as the government did not step into clear him with regard to his detention by Sri Lanka Customs.
