Opposition parties have submitted a no-confidence motion to the Speaker against Deputy Defence Minister Major General (Retd) Aruna Jayasekara. Although the motion was said to be submitted yesterday, it was postponed to today as the Speaker was in Polonnaruwa.
The opposition has decided to present a no-confidence motion against Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara in Parliament, alleging his involvement in the investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday terror attacks.
The motion refers to Jayasekara’s role as the Commander of the Security Forces (East) in key incidents related to the Easter attacks, including the Vavunathivu police killings and the Saindamarandu blast, which are considered to be crucial moments before the bomb attacks.
It further states that there is a conflict of interest in the relationship as Aruna Jayasekara, who holds a powerful position in the Ministry of Defence, could influence subordinates or witnesses involved in ongoing investigations, compromising their impartiality.
The motion calls on Parliament to remove Aruna Jayasekara from his ministerial position, arguing that public and institutional trust in the investigation process cannot be restored as long as Aruna Jayasekara remains in office.
Aruna Jayasekara, a retired Major General, was appointed to Parliament through the National List in November 2024 and was later named Deputy Minister of Defence.