Harsha de Silva resigns from COPE committee

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Dr. Harsha de Silva has resigned from the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the opposition has nominated Professor Charitha Herath to the vacant seat.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa told Parliament today that Dr. Harsha de Silva had resigned on his own accord.

As a result, Premadasa said that the Opposition wants to nominate former COPE Chairman Professor Charitha Herath to the vacant seat.

Professor Charitha Herath had been overlooked from the new COPE committee.

Herath was elected as the Chairman of COPE for the Second Session of the ninth Parliament in February this year.

Herath served as the Chairman of the COPE committee until Ranil Wickremesinghe was appointed President and the committees were later dissolved.

Under Herath?s leadership the COPE committee investigated several discrepancies in State institutions, including Sri Lankan Airlines.

Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena announced the names of the new members of COPE today.

The Speaker announced that MPs Jagath Pushpakumara, Janaka Wakkumbura, Lohan Ratwatte, Indika Anuruddha Herath, D. V. Chanaka, Shantha Bandara, Anura Dissanayaka , Rauff Hakeem , Patali Champika Ranawaka , Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Rohitha Abegunawardhana, (Dr.) Harsha de Silva , Eran Wickramarathne , Nimal Lanza, S. M. M. Muszhaaraff, Nalin Bandara Jayamaha , S. M. Marikkar, Mujibur Rahuman, (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Jagath Kumara Sumithraarachchi, Premnath C. Dolawatte, Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, (Mrs.) Rajika Wickramasinghe, Madhura Withanage and (Prof.) Ranjith Bandara have been nominated by the Committee of Selection.

The new COPE members did not include Professor Charitha Herath.

The Speaker also announced the new members of the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA).?(Colombo Gazette)