SLFP Secretary and Minister Maithripala Sirisena believes that it is illegal to grant another three months leave from parliament to parliamentarian Duminda Silva since he has been issued an arrest warrant from court to question him on the assassination of senior SLFP member and Presidential Advisor Bharatha Lakshman Premachandra.

The SLFP Secretary believes that even the person who makes such a proposal to parliament could be charged of contempt of court.  The Minister has suggested that the best action would be to replace Silva with SLFP Ratmalana organizer and former Deputy Minister Chandana Kathriarachchi.

Minister Sirisena had expressed these views during a meeting several UPFA MPs yesterday.

Although the President had decided not to grant further leave to Silva, the decision had been changed due to a sudden development. The president had then asked his son, MP Namal Rajapaksa to make the necessary arrangements to grant a further three months leave to Silva.

Senior SLFP leaders have opposed the President’s decision to grant more leave to Silva.