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Sri Lanka's new opposition leader opposes moves for larger cabinet

Xinhua, September 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Sri Lanka's minority Tamil Political Party leader, R. Sampanthan who was appointed opposition leader of parliament on Thursday has opposed the move to form a larger cabinet in the island nation.

Sri Lanka's new government is seeking parliamentary approval to appoint more members to its cabinet than the number approved under the country's constitution as the ruling United National Party ( UNP) has agreed to join hands with the opposition Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP) to form a national government.

Sri Lanka's constitution approves the appointment of only 30 cabinet members but the government is seeking to appoint 45 which would require parliamentary approval.

When the matter was taken up for debate on Thursday, Sampanthan said that the moves to increase the cabinet was against the principles of good governance and therefore opposed the move.

Meanwhile Sri Lanka's Marxist party, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna also opposed the move to increase the cabinet from 30 to 48 saying there was no justifiable reason to do so and it was against the will of the people. Endi