2025-03-16
News Categories : News
During the meeting of the Committee on Parliamentary Business held yesterday (Mar. 15), Chaired by the Hon. Speaker of Parliament (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne, it was decided to hold the Second Reading of the Inland Revenue (Amendment) Bill on March 20th from 6.00 PM to 8.00 PM, following the debate on the Appropriation Bill - Committee stage.
It was also decided that Parliament will convene on April 8th, 9th, and 10th. Accordingly, on April 8th Tuesday, from 9.30 AM to 10.00 AM, the time has been allocated for Business of Parliament as per (1) to (6) of Standing Order 22 of Parliament. From 10.00 AM to 11.00 AM, the time will be allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, while from 11.00 AM to 11.30 AM, the time has been reserved for Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament. Thereafter, the Second Reading of the Proceed of Crime Bill will take place until 5.30 PM.
On April 9th Wednesday, from 9.30 AM to 10.00 AM, the time has been allocated for Business of Parliament as per (1) to (6) of Standing Order 22 of Parliament. From 10.00 AM to 10.30 AM, the time has been allocated for questions directed to the Hon. Prime Minister. From 10.30 AM to 11.00 AM, the time will be allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, while from 11.00 AM to 11.30 AM, the time has been reserved for Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament. Thereafter, the Second Reading of the Value Added Tax (Amendment) Bill will be held from 11.30 AM to 5.00 PM. Following that, from 5.00 PM to 5.30 PM, the Motion at the Adjournment Time by the Opposition will be debated.
On April 10th Thursday, from 9.30 AM to 10.00 AM, the time has been allocated for Business of Parliament as per (1) to (6) of Standing Order 22 of Parliament. From 10.00 AM to 11.00 AM, the time will be allocated for Questions for Oral Answers, while from 11.00 AM to 11.30 AM, the time has been reserved for Questions under Standing Order 27(2) of the Parliament. Thereafter, from 11.30 AM to 5.30 PM, the debate on the "Report of the Commission of Inquiry into the Establishment and Maintenance of Places of Unlawful Detention and Torture Chambers at the Batalanda Housing Scheme," which was tabled in Parliament on the 14th, will take place. It was also decided to allocate another date in May to continue this as a two-day debate.
2025-03-25
Hon. Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports and Civil Aviation and Leader of the House of Parliament, Bimal Rathnayake, was elected as the Chair of the Sri Lanka-China Parliamentary Friendship Association for the Tenth Parliament, at the meeting held on the March 21st under the Chairmanship of Hon. Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne at the Parliament, marking the re-establishment of the Sri Lanka-China Parliamentary Friendship Association. The Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, HE Qi Zhenhong, participated in this event as the chief guest. Furthermore, Hon. Member of Parliament, (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law, was elected as the Secretary of the Sri Lanka - China Parliamentary Friendship Association. Hon. Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne, expressing his views on the occasion, recalled the long-standing bilateral cultural and political relations between China and Sri Lanka, maintained for centuries. He further emphasized that the Parliamentary Friendship Association is a platform for enhancing these relations. He also highlighted the importance of working closely to further strengthen bilateral relations in economic, trade, education, and technological sectors, ensuring maximum benefits for both parties. The Speaker stressed that the newly appointed officials of this association should actively engage in achieving these objectives. Joining the occasion, the Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka, HE Qi Zhenhong, emphasized the importance of strengthening relations in mutually interested fields through the Friendship Association. He also recalled the friendly and cooperative relations between Sri Lanka and China, especially during challenging times, and extended his best wishes to the newly appointed officials of the Sri Lanka-China Parliamentary Friendship Association. Expressing his gratitude upon being elected as the Chair of the Association, Hon. Minister Bimal Rathnayake acknowledged China's longstanding friendly support for Sri Lanka. He particularly emphasized the significance of sharing China’s knowledge and experience in fields such as education and trade industries. The Chair invited all members to work together to strengthen Sri Lanka-China relations. Furthermore, he requested that the programs and workshops previously organized through the Sri Lanka - China Parliamentary Friendship Association for Sri Lankan representatives also be extended to the young Members of Parliament in the current Parliament. Delivering the vote of thanks, the Secretary of the Association, Hon. Member of Parliament (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law, emphasized the Association’s commitment to further strengthening the long-standing ties between China and Sri Lanka. The event was attended by the Hon. Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Ministers, Hon. Deputy Ministers, Hon. Members of Parliament, the Secretary General of Parliament, Kushani Rohanadeera, and several others.
2025-03-21
Delegation meets Prime Minister, Deputy Speaker and key Ministers Discussions focus on strengthening Sri Lanka, Vietnam Parliamentary cooperation and expanding ties in the agriculture, trade, tourism and other sectors A Parliamentary delegation from the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam headed by the Hon. Vice Chairman of the National Assembly of Viet Nam (Deputy Speaker) Nguyen Duc Hai met with Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka on March 20 at the Parliament premises, as part of their four-day official visit to Sri Lanka from March 19-22. The delegation included several Parliamentarians and officials from the National Assembly of Viet Nam and the visit aimed to enhance cooperation across various fields. The Delegation arrived in Sri Lanka on an invitation extended by the Hon. Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne. During the meeting, both parties reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening the robust bilateral relationship between the two countries, established in 1970. Hon. Speaker Wickramaratne emphasized that Sri Lanka and Viet Nam share a longstanding, warm, and close relationship, rooted in mutual respect and shared values. He highlighted that Sri Lanka's Hon. President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has accepted an invitation from the President of Viet Nam for an official visit. The State Visit is scheduled to take place in May 2025. Hon. Speaker Wickramaratne also commended the development achievements of Viet Nam and expressed Sri Lanka’s keen interest in boosting trade, investment, and tourism ties with Viet Nam. He pointed out that Sri Lankan investors have already contributed nearly USD 45 million in investments in Viet Nam, creating over 15,000 jobs. Hon. Speaker invited Vietnamese investors to explore opportunities in Sri Lanka, particularly in the areas of food processing, cold chain development for agriculture, and agro-technology. Furthermore, the Speaker emphasized the importance of collaborating on agricultural development, particularly through providing technical assistance to smallholder farmers, with a focus on mechanization, improving access to affordable machinery, and fostering skills development. Addressing the meeting, Hon. Nguyen Duc Hai, Chairman of the National Assembly of Viet Nam (Deputy Speaker), congratulated Sri Lanka on its recent economic progress and political stability. He reaffirmed Viet Nam’s commitment to enhancing bilateral relations, emphasizing the importance of expanding trade and investment. He also expressed Viet Nam’s readiness to negotiate a Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. Both parties agreed to enhance inter-parliamentary cooperation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), focusing on legislative best practices, particularly in digital transformation. They discussed leveraging technology to build digital parliaments and improve parliamentary efficiency. High-level exchanges between leaders of the two parliaments were also highlighted. The delegation also met with Hon. Prime Minister (Dr.) Harini Amarasuriya at the Parliament premises, congratulating her on her appointment and reiterating Viet Nam's commitment to strengthening ties. Both sides agreed to enhance political relations, boost economic cooperation, and explore initiatives such as introducing a free visa process and direct flights between the two countries. The importance of establishing mechanisms to implement these initiatives was also emphasized. During his visit to Parliament, Hon. Nguyen Duc Hai met with his Sri Lankan counterpart, Hon. (Dr.) Rizvie Salih, Deputy Speaker of Parliament, and held bilateral discussions on strengthening relations. Both parties reaffirmed their commitment to further enhancing cooperation. The delegation also met with Sri Lanka's Hon. Minister of Trade, Commerce, Food Security and Cooperative Development, Wasantha Samarasinghe, and Hon. Deputy Minister of Digital Economy, Eranga Weeraratne, to explore opportunities for collaboration in trade and digital economy sectors for mutual benefit. The delegation also had the opportunity to interact with members of the Sri Lanka-Viet Nam Parliamentary Friendship Association. To mark the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly of Viet Nam planted a tree in the Sri Lankan Parliament premises as a symbol of growing bilateral ties. The delegation had the opportunity to witness the proceedings of Parliament from the Speaker’s Gallery and participated in a Parliamentary tour. The Ambassador of Viet Nam to Sri Lanka H.E Trinh Thi Tam, Secretary General of Parliament Mrs. Kushani Rohanadeera, Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Chaminda Kularathna and Assistant Secretary General Mr. Hansa Abeyratne were also present on these occasions.
2025-03-21
Speaker endorses the certificate on the bill The Appropriation Bill for the year 2025 (Budget) was passed by a majority of 114 votes in Parliament today (Mar. 21). The Third Reading vote of the Appropriation Bill was held around 7.40 pm where 159 votes were cast in favor of the Bill and 45 votes were cast against it. The second reading of the Appropriation Bill for the year 2025 or the ‘Budget Speech’ was presented to Parliament by the Hon. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in his capacity as the Minister of Finance on February 17. Thereafter, the Second Reading Debate on the Appropriation Bill (Budget) was held for 7 days from 18th to 25th February. Accordingly, the vote on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill held on 25th February was passed in Parliament by a majority of 109 votes. Thereafter, the Committee Stage Debate on the Appropriation Bill was held for 19 days from 27th February to today (21). Meanwhile, the Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne today (21) endorsed the certificate to the Appropriation Bill, in accordance with Article 79 of the Constitution. Accordingly, this Appropriation Bill comes into force as Appropriation Act No. 3 of 2025.
2025-03-21
Under the provisions of the Right to Information Act, No. 12 of 2016, the Constitutional Council calls for applications from suitable individuals to be recommended for the appointment as a member of the Right to Information Commission to fill the vacancy that has arisen in respect of the post of member of the Right to Information Commission. The applications should be prepared in accordance with the information form which is available on the Parliamentary website with a quick link named ‘Appointment of a member to the Right to Information Commission’. The duly completed applications should be sent to; Secretary-General to the Constitutional Council, Constitutional Council – Office, Parliament of Sri Lanka, Sri Jayewardenepura Kotte on or before 1st of April 2025 by registered post or by e-mail to constitutionalcouncil@parliament.lk ‘Appointment of a member to the Right to Information Commission’ should be indicated on the top left corner of the envelope or as the subject of the e-mail.
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