143 vote to increase number of ministers
The proposal by the Prime Minister to increase the number of ministers in the government to 93 was passed when 143 MPs voted for it and 16 against it. The number of absentees was 63. The proposal was passed with a majority of 127.
A large number of MPs of the UPFA and TNA were not seen in Parliament when the vote was taken.
The proposal put forward by Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe states, “ As the United National Party which obtained the highest number of seats in Parliament has formed a National Government, Parliament determines in terms of Article46(4) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka that the number of Ministers in the Cabinet of Ministers shall not exceed48 and the number of Ministers who are not Cabinet Ministers and the number of Deputy Ministers shall not exceed 45.”
