UPFA MP of ampara District Sarath Weerasekara became the first SLFP MP to vote against the 19th Amendment as the vote was being taken at Parliament.

Weerasekara, a former Deputy Minister of Labour and Labour Relations under the Rajapaksa government is a staunch Rajapaksa supporter.

He was the Director Genral of the Civil Defense Force during the latter years of the war.