No Parliamentary Select Committee Appointed to Probe Container Issue – MP Kayanda Karunathilaka

13-Nov-2025

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Although consensus was reached in the Committee on Parliamentary Business a month ago to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee to inquire into the container issue, the committee has not yet been appointed, said Opposition Chief Whip Kayanda Karunathilaka, urging the Speaker to take a decision on the matter at the meeting of party leaders.

He made this statement while delivering a special speech during the Parliament sitting held on November 11.

He further said that on October 7, opposition members had made a written request to the Speaker to appoint a select committee regarding the release of 323 containers from Customs without inspection.

During the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held on 10 October 2025, it was decided to establish such a select committee, and on October 17, the motion was included in the Parliamentary Order Paper, though no specific date was mentioned.

However, even after a month since consensus was reached in the Committee on Parliamentary Business, the committee has still not been appointed. Therefore, he requested that a decision be taken at the party leaders’ meeting.

Responding to this, Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne, who chaired the session, stated that a decision on this matter could be taken at the party leaders’ meeting scheduled for this week.