More MPs including Anura Kumara Dissanayake resign from the COPE

Several Members of Parliament, including Anura Kumara Dissanayake, have resigned from the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) today (March 20) in protest against the appointment of ineligible members.

Several MPs resigned from COPE on Monday (March 18) and Tuesday (March 19).

Names of MPs who have resigned from COPE thus far:

1. Eran Wickramaratne
2. Dayasiri Jayasekara
3. S.M. Marikkar
4. Professor Charitha Herath
5. Gamini Waleboda
6. Shanakiyan Rasamanickam
7. Hesha Withanage
8. Wasantha Yapa Bandara
9. Duminda Dissanayake
10. Anura Kumara Dissanayake

These resignations come with the appointment of Rohitha Abeygunawardena, a ruling party MP, as the COPE chairman, despite the previous government adopting a practice of appointing an opposition member to chair the committee to strengthen the principle that the legislature must be a check and balance on the executive arm of government.