By The Pulseline News Desk
The Forum of Former Members of Parliament has appealed to the Mahanayake Theros of the country’s three main Buddhist Nikayas to intervene in a series of controversial incidents within Parliament, including the suspension of former Deputy Secretary General and Chief of Staff Attorney-at-Law Chaminda Kularatne.
In a letter signed by the forum’s secretary and former parliamentarian Premasiri Manage, the organisation has raised concerns over what it described as unlawful administrative actions, workplace harassment, and the erosion of institutional independence within Parliament.
The letter was addressed to the chief prelates of the Malwathu and Asgiri Chapters of the Siyam Nikaya, as well as the Ramanna Nikaya.
Four key allegations
The forum outlined four major issues in its communication to the Buddhist clergy.
First, it has alleged that the suspension of the Deputy Secretary General of Parliament had been carried out in an unlawful and malicious manner. According to the forum, the disciplinary action was based on a preliminary inquiry conducted without proper legal authority.
Second, the organisation has criticised the decision to abolish pension benefits for former Members of Parliament, describing the move as both illegal and unethical.
Third, the forum has referred to findings from an investigation conducted by a former High Court judge into allegations of harassment and intimidation involving a female officer attached to Parliament’s Information Systems and Management Department. The letter has claimed that despite clear recommendations in the report, the relevant authorities had failed to implement them.
Finally, the forum has stated that another female parliamentary officer had resigned from service due to discrimination and unfair treatment within the institution.
Concerns over institutional independence
The former MPs have warned that the incidents collectively point to a troubling deterioration of administrative fairness and institutional independence within the country’s Parliament.
The letter has specifically questioned the legal authority of the Parliamentary Staff Advisory Committee to exercise disciplinary powers in the manner it allegedly had, arguing that such actions were contrary to accepted ethical and procedural standards.
According to the forum, these developments reveal deeper structural problems within Parliament’s administrative system and demonstrate a failure to maintain a safe, independent, and professional working environment for employees.
International complaints filed
In addition to seeking the intervention of the Buddhist clergy, the Forum of Former Members of Parliament has also taken the matter before several international bodies.
Complaints regarding the incidents have reportedly been submitted to the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
The move signals an effort by the former MPs to draw both domestic and international attention to what they describe as serious concerns over governance, accountability, and administrative conduct within Sri Lanka’s legislature.
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