Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said the defeated No-Confidence Motion against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody had revealed a parliamentary divide over coal procurement fraud and its impact on consumer rights.
Speaking after the 153-49 vote, Premadasa framed the 49 opposition votes as reflecting broader public concern over coal quality irregularities and their downstream effect on electricity costs. The NCM was the first tabled under the NPP government.
Beyond Party Lines
The 49 votes in favour exceeded the SJB’s approximately 40 seats, indicating that some SLPP members — consistent with G.L. Peiris’s earlier call for Jayakody’s resignation — crossed party lines to support the motion. This cross-party opposition front represents a rare alignment between the SJB and elements of the SLPP on an accountability issue.
The SJB had staged a protest near Parliament before the debate and has consistently demanded fuel price reductions and ministerial accountability over substandard coal imports at the Lakvijaya power plant.
Government Response
The government countered the NCM not by defending coal procurement but by announcing a Special Presidential Commission to investigate procurement from 2009 to present — effectively conceding the substance of the opposition’s complaints while deflecting blame to previous administrations.
Sources: Newswire
