The government intends to table legislation in Parliament that would revoke the seats of Members of Parliament who switch political parties after being elected, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said.
Speaking at the post-Cabinet media briefing on Tuesday, Dr. Jayatissa said the proposed anti-defection law is expected to be presented to Parliament in the near future. The measure aims to close a long-standing loophole that has allowed elected MPs to cross the floor without losing the mandate granted to them by voters.
“We also expect to present bills to Parliament soon to revoke the seats of MPs who switch parties going against the mandate,” the minister said.
He used the briefing to rebut suggestions that the ruling National People’s Power (NPP) was seeking to absorb opposition members. “We have no desire or effort to bring anyone from the opposition into the government. There may be wishes, but we have no intention of bringing anyone from the opposition into the government,” Dr. Jayatissa said, adding that the administration had received a clear mandate from voters and would act accordingly.
Floor-crossing has been a recurring feature of Sri Lankan politics, with successive parliaments seeing members defect from the parties under whose symbols they were elected — a practice critics say undermines the will of the electorate.
The announcement came at the same Cabinet briefing that approved the Surakimu Lanka national energy security mission and amid a parallel cross-party push to resolve the decade-long deadlock over Provincial Council elections. No date has been set for the bill’s introduction.
