Senior Lawyer Gomin Dayasri said that the Secretary to the Ministry of Parliamentary Reforms and Mass Media Nimal Bopage acted in contrast to the government's "good governance principles" in sending a directive to media not to use the term 'Joint Opposition'.

Not even the President or the respective Minister would have acted in such a manner, Dayasri said speaking to Asian Mirror.

A state official should act in accordance to the principles of his government, Dayasri said. However, Bopage, through this directive, is trying to bring media under the government's control, he added.

The newly appointed Secretary to the Ministry sent a notice to media on Thursday, saying that the use of the term 'Joint Opposition' was "illegal, immoral and professionally unethical".

He added that the government and the opposition have been clearly defined in the Parliament and there was no basis for the use of the term Joint Opposition.