24 Members of Parliament (MPs) from the ruling party have formally requested Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena to mete out the maximum punishment to SJB MP Chaminda Wijesiri under the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act. The appeal is in response to the alleged incident of making false and malicious accusations against the Assistant Secretary General of the Parliament, Hansa Abeyaratne.

The incident unfolded during a parliamentary session on, where Wijesiri reportedly made unsubstantiated claims against Abeyaratne, raising concerns about the Assistant Secretary General's reputation and the sanctity of parliamentary proceedings.

According to the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act, any form of assault or resistance against an officer of the Parliament within the chamber, committee, or on the Parliament grounds, as well as deliberate interference with their duties during parliamentary proceedings, constitutes an offense. Such offenses are subject to punishment by either the Parliament itself or the Supreme Court.

In their letter to Speaker Abeywardena, the 24 MPs underscored the severity of the allegations and urged that appropriate action be taken to uphold the integrity of parliamentary proceedings and protect the reputation of key parliamentary figures.

The Speaker's office has acknowledged the receipt of the letter, and it is expected that Speaker Abeywardena will convene a special session to address the matter. The accused MP is likely to face an inquiry and potential disciplinary actions as stipulated by the Parliamentary Powers and Privileges Act.