Opposition Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara has appealed to the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), calling for its intervention over what he describes as a serious breach of parliamentary privilege and impartiality in Sri Lanka’s Parliament.
In a letter addressed to CPA President Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane and Secretary General Stephen Twigg, Jayasekara raised concerns over Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne’s decision to prevent him from raising a Privilege Question in Parliament on September 10, 2026.
The proposed Privilege Question was related to an ongoing investigation by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), which Jayasekara said reportedly concerns matters connected to the Speaker’s official functions.
Jayasekara argued that the Speaker should not have personally considered the complaint and instead should have referred the matter to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges.
He cited the legal principle of nemo judex in causa sua, which holds that no person should act as a judge in a matter in which they have a personal interest.
According to Jayasekara, the decision not to allow the Privilege Question to be raised undermined procedural fairness and the principle of impartiality within Parliament.
He also alleged that his parliamentary freedom of speech was restricted when he was prevented from raising the matter during a parliamentary debate.
The opposition MP referred to the Parliament (Powers and Privileges) Act No. 21 of 1953, which provides protections for Members of Parliament in exercising their rights to speak and participate in debates within the House.
Jayasekara has asked the CPA to take note of the matter as an issue concerning parliamentary democracy and the rights of elected representatives.
He has also called on the organisation to assess whether the circumstances are consistent with accepted principles of fairness and impartiality, encourage the referral of the Privilege Question to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, and support an independent review of the Speaker’s decision.
He further requested the CPA to take any action within its mandate to safeguard parliamentary democracy and freedom of speech.
Jayasekara, who has served in Parliament for nearly two decades and is a senior figure in the Samagi Jana Sandanaya (SJS) coalition, said the issue raises fundamental questions about parliamentary accountability.
He stressed that elected Members must be able to raise privilege matters even when those matters concern the officer presiding over Parliament.
