Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress and Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem found himself in an embarrassing position in Parliament today when Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkodi failed to recognize him as a 'party leader".

When the Justice Minister attempted to make a special statement in Parliament he was prevented from doing so by the Deputy Minister on the grounds that the former was not a party leader. When Minister Hakeem reminded the Deputy Speaker that he was the Leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the latter said Hakeem's name did not appear on the party leader's list given to him by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa. 

Hakeem seemed angry when the country's legislature - which he represents for more than 20 years - failed to recognize him as a party leader. 

However, it was agreed that the matter should be taken up at the next party leaders' meeting. 

Hakeem became the leader of the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the biggest Muslim party in Sri Lanka, after the demise of the late M.H.M. Ashroff.