The contempt of court case filed against MP Roshan Ranasinghe is wrong as no one can file legal action against an MP for the remarks he makes in Parliament, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana said..
“It is clear that no one can sue an MP for comments he makes in the House,” the Speaker said.
“Let the judiciary handle the contempt of court case and give a verdict,” he also said at the same time.
Sajith Premadasa, who referred to 3 and 4 of the Parliamentary Privileges Act said an MP cannot be sued or arrested for remarks made in Parliament.
The Parliamentary Privileges Act protects MPs from legal action for things they say in Parliament.
This is because MPs need to be able to speak freely in order to do their jobs effectively.
However, there are some exceptions to this privilege
For example, an MP can be sued for defamation if they make false statements about someone outside of Parliament