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Sri Lankan gov't confident of defeating motion on PM

Xinhua, June 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

The Sri Lankan government on Friday expressed confidence of defeating a no confidence motion submitted by the opposition against Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The no confidence motion was handed over by the United People's Freedom Alliance (UPFA) to Parliament with the signature of 112 parliamentarians.

Ruling UNP minister John Amaratuga told Xinhua that his party was ready to debate the motion when it is taken up in Parliament and expressed confidence of defeating it with a majority votes.

"This is not a serious matter and we are ready to debate it. However I am confident that this might not be taken up for a debate as the dissolution of parliament is imminent," he said.

UPFA member Manusha Nanayakkara told journalists on Friday that the no confidence motion against Wickremesinghe was handed over to Parliament Secretary General and subsequently UPFA party leaders had met to discuss the matter.

He said that the UPFA party leaders, including the opposition leader, approved the motion to be handed over to Parliament.

According to legal experts, if the no confidence motion is adopted by Parliament after it is signed by a simple majority, then the President has the right to remove the Prime Minister from his position.

Wickremesinghe was appointed as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena soon after Sirisena's victory at the January presidential election which saw the defeat of former President Mahinda Rajapakse. Endi