Speaker Anura Bandaranaike yesterday appointed a one-man commission to investigate why the police impeded Members of Parliament from entering the parliamentary complex on Monday, informed political sources said.

Representatives of all opposition parties, excluding the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna, met Bandaranaike at his Kollupitiya residence and lodged strong protest against the incident. Bandaranaike said he was disturbed that police had impeded the MPs passage into Parliament, thereby acting without his orders.

Former diplomat, Vernon Mendis, will inquire into the incident, assisted by Nihal Seneviratne, the sources said.

The UNP said that preventing lawmakers from entering Parliament was undemocratic and a violation of their privileges. (NW)