State Minister Sanath Nishantha Issues Apology to Speaker for Unruly Behavior: Urges Action Against Sajith Premadasa and Nalin Bandara

November 23, 2023

State Minister Sanath Nishantha has issued a letter of apology to Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, expressing regret for his recent unruly behavior during parliamentary proceedings. In the letter addressed to the Speaker, MP Nishantha acknowledged his inappropriate actions and admitted that he should not have acted in such a manner.

The apology follows an incident that occurred inside Parliament on Tuesday, November 21, leading to State Minister Nishantha's suspension from parliamentary proceedings for a period of two weeks. The Speaker, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, announced the suspension on Wednesday, November 22, citing the State Minister's disruptive conduct during the Committee Stage debate on the 2024 Budget.

In his letter to the Speaker, State Minister Nishantha expressed his sincere regret for the incident and acknowledged the need for accountability for his actions. However, he raised concerns about the decision to hold him accountable for the entire incident while allowing Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and SJB MP Nalin Bandara to go unpunished, describing it as a violation of his parliamentary privileges.