Srilanka, Oct. 11 -- Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne told Parliament yesterday that Members of the Constitutional Council (CC) cannot be summoned before the Privileges Committee as it is a body independent of Parliament.

The Constitutional Council is established as a distinct and independent constitutional body under Article 41A of the Constitution.

It is thus not a Parliamentary Committee established under the Standing Orders of Parliament.

The Constitutional Council functions under the Constitution itself, and not under the authority of Parliament or its Standing Orders.

Therefore, any proceedings or decisions of the Constitutional Council cannot be regarded as proceedings of Parliament or of a Committee of Parliament within the me...