Lanka's Parliament defeats no-trust motion against President Rajapaksa

Ruling party wins deputy speaker's election; two lawmakers arrested

A no-confidence motion tabled by the Opposition against Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa was defeated in Parliament on Tuesday, in a comfortable win for the embattled President amidst nationwide protests demanding his resignation due to the country's worst-ever economic crisis.

The motion by Opposition Tamil National Alliance (TNA) MP M A Sumanthiran to suspend Parliament's standing orders in order to debate an expression of displeasure over President Rajapaksa was defeated with 119 MPs voting against it, the Economy Next newspaper reported.

Only 68 MPs voted in favour of the motion, it said, giving the 72-year-old President a comfortable victory.

With the motion, the Opposition sought to demonstrate how nationwide calls for President Rajapaksa’s resignation are reflected in the country's legislature, the report said.

The main Opposition Samagi Jana Balavegaya (SJB) MP Lakshman Kiriella had supported the motion.

According to SJB MP Harsha de Silva, among those who voted against the motion was Sri Lanka’s newly-elected Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Human rights lawyer Bhavani Fonseka tweeted after the vote that the motion's defeat exposed MPs who protect President Rajapaksa.

On Tuesday, Parliament met for the first time after the appointment of new Prime Minister Wickremesinghe, as the country looks to undertake major constitutional reforms amid the worst economic crisis.

Meanwhile, Sri Lanka’s two ruling party lawmakers were arrested on Tuesday for their alleged involvement in the violent attacks on the peaceful anti-government protesters near the Temple Trees and at Galle Face Green last week that injured over 200 people.

Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) MPs Sanath Nishantha and Milan Jayatilake were arrested for their alleged involvement in the attacks, police spokesman Nihal Thalduwa said.

Both the lawmakers were seen among the attackers.