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Sri Lanka Opposition to Vote Against Extension of Emergency Laws
Sri Lanka's main opposition United National Party (UNP) decided on Tuesday that it will vote against the extension of the emergency regulations by a further one month when it is taken up for voting on Friday.
The UNP took this decision after meeting with its party parliamentarians. The UNP said it will call for the government to step down if its attempt to extend the emergency regulations fails.
The vote on the emergency regulations, which was first imposed in March 1983, is seen as a crucial test before a vote for no- confidence motion tabled by UNP against the government later this month.
The ruling People's Alliance coalition government was reduced to a minority in the 225-member Parliament on June 20 when its key Muslim ally the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress pulled out due to the dismissal of its leader Rauf Hakeem by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.
The government has now 109 seats in the Parliament, four short of the 113-seat simple majority for its survival.
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