2025-02-17
News Categories : News
The Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill was passed by a special majority, without amendments in Parliament today (Feb. 17).
The Second Reading debate pertaining to the said Bill was held today (17) from 2.00 pm to 7.00 pm. Thereafter, 187 votes were cast in favor of the Bill. Following being considered at the Committee stage, a division was called for the Third Reading of the Bill. Accordingly, 158 votes were cast in favor of the Bill. The Second Reading and the Third Reading of the Local Authorities Elections (Special Provisions) Bill was passed by a special majority, without amendments in Parliament.
2025-11-20
“Many ethnic and religious conflicts arise when people are unable to communicate properly in a particular language,” Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne said at the inaugural ceremony of the program A Sinhala and Tamil language training program for Hon. Members of Parliament commenced on the 18th November 2025 at the Parliament premises, under the patronage of Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. This program is conducted under the coordination of the Members’ Service Office of Parliament and with the support and resources of the Department of Official Languages. Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne stated that many ethnic, religious, and otherwise issues emerge when proper communication cannot take place due to language barriers. He emphasized that, in order to build a great Sri Lankan nation that respects all communities, Members of Parliament must maintain strong public relations and act as leaders in society, for which these languages are of great value. Additionally, the Hon. Minister of Justice and National Integration, Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara, who was present at the event, stated that language is not merely a tool for communication, but also a way of showing respect to the community that speaks that language. No individual should ever be treated differently because of the language they speak, he noted. The Minister further stated that by functioning tri-lingually in line with the national language policy, the country’s highest institution sets an example that inspires the general public. Accordingly, 21 Members of Parliament have applied to follow the Sinhala language course, while 63 Members have applied for the Tamil language course. The Hon. Deputy Chairperson of the Committee, Hemali Weerasekara, Hon. Minister of Justice and National Integration, Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law, Hon. Ministers, Hon. Deputy Ministers, Hon. Members of Parliament, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Chaminda Kularatne, Commissioner General of Official Languages Mr. Nandana Hettiarachchi, Assistant Director (Administration) of the Members’ Service Office of Parliament Mr. K. P. Chandana, and officials of the Parliamentary Members’ Service Office and the Department of Official Languages participated in this event.
2025-11-19
The delegation from Parliament of Sri Lanka participated in the meeting on gender equality held during the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) Assembly in Geneva on 23 October 2025. The session, organized under the IPU’s Gender Partnership Programme, brought together representatives from Benin, Bhutan, Burkina Faso, Chad, Gambia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Sri Lanka, Türkiye, and Zambia to share experiences, best practices, and challenges in advancing gender equality within Parliaments. Hon. (Mrs.) Oshani Umanga, Member of Parliament, addressed the forum and delivered an inspiring speech that highlighted Sri Lanka’s significant strides in increasing women’s political participation following the country's historic transformation in 2024. She emphasized the pivotal role played by women in shaping Sri Lanka’s renewed political landscape and shared insights into the nationwide movement “Gehenu Api Eka Mitata” (We, the Women together), which contributed to a remarkable rise of female representation in Parliament, from approximately 5% to 10% in a single election cycle. In her statement, the Hon. (Mrs.) Oshani Umanga stated: “Sri Lanka’s story is a testament to a simple truth: when women are empowered, the whole nation rises. We are sending a clear message to our daughters, and to the world, that no dream is too big, and no position is out of reach.” The delegation from Sri Lanka also included the Secretary General of Parliament, Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, whose presence underscored the growing leadership of women within Sri Lanka’s highest legislative institutions. The IPU commended the contribution of the Sri Lankan delegation and extended its gratitude through an official appreciation letter, recognizing Sri Lanka’s active role in the global effort to promote gender equality, diversity, and accessibility in the Parliaments. Sri Lanka’s participation in this high-level dialogue reaffirms the nation’s commitment to strengthening gender equality and amplifying women’s voices in legislative processes. The Parliament looks forward to continued collaboration with the IPU and other member states to transform shared commitments into concrete actions for a more inclusive and representative democracy.
2025-11-19
• Budget Heads of the Ministry of Laboure passed without a division Today (Nov. 19), on the fourth day of the Committee Stage of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2026, the budget head (130) of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government, taken up for debate, was passed by a 94 majority of votes. Following the debate of the Committee Stage held today at around 6:10 pm, Hon. Member of Parliament of the Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, called for a division for the aforesaid budget head, and accordingly, 103 votes were cast in favor of it and 09 votes were cast against. The other budget heads of the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils and Local Government were passed without a vote. Meanwhile, the budget heads of the Ministry of Labour, which were debated today, were passed without a vote. Furthermore, the motion to appoint a Select Committee of Parliament to look into and Report to Parliament on the release of 323 Containers from the Port of Colombo without undergoing mandatory physical inspection and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard was also approved today.
2025-11-19
Speaker announces in Parliament that the MP D. V. Chanaka, has been nominated to serve on the Committee on Parliamentary Business The Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne today (Nov. 19) announced in Parliament that the Hon. D. V. Chanaka, Member of Parliament, has been nominated to serve in the Committee on Parliamentary Business by the Committee of Selection on 18 November 2025, in terms of the provisions of the Standing Order 130 (3) of the Parliament, to fill the vacancy occurred due to the resignation of the Hon. Namal Rajapaksa, Attorney at Law, Member of Parliament, from the Membership of the Committee on Parliamentary Business. The Hon. Speaker also announced that the Hon. Ajith P. Perera, Member of Parliament has been nominated by the Committee of Selection, to serve in the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection in terms of the provisions of the Standing Order 111 of Parliament and as per the motion agreed to by Parliament on 17 March 2025. Furthermore, Hon. Speaker announced that the Hon. Chithral Fernando, Attorney at Law, Member of Parliament has also been nominated by the Committee of Selection, to serve in the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Environment, Agriculture and Resource Sustainability and the Hon. Chathura Galappaththi, Member of Parliament has also been nominated by the Committee of Selection, to serve in the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Infrastructure and Strategic Development, in terms of the provisions of the Standing Order 111 of Parliament and as per the motion agreed to by Parliament on 17 March 2025.
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