Colombo District Member Geethanjana Gunawardena yesterday told the House that he resigned from the post of Deputy Speaker on ethical grounds.

When the Chief Government Whip Jeyaraj Fernandopulle was assassinated, his brother, Minister of Urban Development and Sacred Areas Development and leader of the MEP Dinesh Gunawardene was appointed Chief Government Whip, he said.

Since the Chief Government Whip played a key role in debates in Parliament and at times had to take a particular stand during questions or issues before Parliament, he felt that it was not ethical for him to preside over sittings of Parliament as the brother of the Chief Government Whip. Therefore, he had informed the Speaker, the Prime Minister and President Mahinda Rajapaksa about his decision to resign on a matter of principle and they agreed with it, he said.

He was elected to Parliament in 1989 and for the second time was re-elected in April 2004 and was elected Deputy Speaker and continued to function in that position till last month.

During his tenure as Deputy Speaker all members of Parliament had extended their cooperation to him and the Parliament staff too from the Security General to the lowest employee had given him their constituted cooperation. He wished to thank all of them and would continue to perform his duties as a member to the country and the House at all times, he said.