Speaker Says Motion Against Deputy Minister Invalid

COLOMBO (News 1st); Speaker of Parliament Dr. Jagath Wickremeratne has ruled that the no-confidence motion submitted against Deputy Minister of Defence, Major General (Retd.) Aruna Jayasekara, is not in order and cannot be accepted, citing constitutional and procedural limitations.

The motion, submitted on August 12, 2025, by 32 opposition MPs including the Leader of the Opposition, sought to challenge the conduct of the Deputy Minister. 

However, the Speaker emphasized that under Articles 42, 43, and 44 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, ministerial responsibility lies solely with Cabinet Ministers, not Deputy Ministers.

“A Deputy Minister, though a Member of Parliament, is not a member of the Cabinet and does not bear direct constitutional responsibility to the House,” the Speaker stated.

He further noted that while the Constitution allows for no-confidence motions against the government, the Prime Minister, and individual Cabinet Ministers, there is no provision for such motions against Deputy Ministers.

Accepting such a motion, he warned, would set an “undesirable precedent” that contradicts established constitutional and parliamentary norms.

The Speaker also referenced practices in other democratic legislatures, including the UK House of Commons, India’s Lok Sabha, and Australia’s House of Representatives, to support his decision.

As a result, the motion will not proceed in its current form.