Sexual harassment of female MPs: Speaker promises stern action

Deeply concerned at media reports of female MPs being sexually harassed within the Parliamentary premises by some elderly MPs, Speaker Karu Jayasuriya has promised

stern action against them irrespective of their station of power or political significance.

Issuing a statement, the Office of the Speaker said yesterday that Speaker Jayasuriya had directed Parliament authorities to see if there had been any complaint made to this effect by any female MPs.

According to the Speaker's Press Secretary, the Office of the Speaker found that there were no such sexual harassment complaints to have been made against the members.

The Daily News learns that the female MPs had intimated their complaints to their party authorities.

However, a determined Karu Jayasuriya has called on female MPs to bring their complaints concerned to his office with a promise to initiate strong action against the perpetrators. One female MP reportedly complained to her party authorities that an elderly Parliamentarian has been making unwelcome advances towards her and that he touched her hand in an appropriate manner during a Parliamentary session.

Another female MP has complained that she has been subjected to verbal comments of sexual nature by an elderly MP.