2025-10-30
News Categories : News
The inaugural session of the Student Parliament of Mahamaya Girls’ College, Kandy, was held recently (Oct. 28) under the patronage of Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Hon. Deputy Speaker (Dr.) Rizvie Salih, at the Old Parliament Chamber of the Presidential Secretariat.
This opportunity was given to Mahamaya Girls’ College, Kandy, as part of the ongoing Student Parliament Programme Series, jointly organized by the Department of Communication of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, the Presidential Secretariat, and the Ministry of Education.
Addressing the gathering, Hon. Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that education is not merely about passing examinations. She further emphasized that steps are being taken to gradually reform the education system in a way that reduces unnecessary burdens on students while nurturing citizens capable of contributing to a better world. The students of Mahamaya Girls’ College were also given the opportunity to directly present their questions to the Prime Minister.
Hon. Deputy Speaker (Dr.) Rizvie Salih, addressing the students, stated that a person who is not law-abiding can never be a lawmaker. He further pointed out that everyone should dedicate themselves to building a law-abiding society. The Deputy Speaker also highlighted that conducting the programme within the historic building that served as Sri Lanka’s Parliament for several decades was a unique and honorable opportunity for the students.
Acting Secretary General of Parliament Mr. Chaminda Kularatne addressed the members of the Student Parliament regarding the history of women’s representation in Parliament and the functions of Parliament.
In addition, (Prof.) A. Sarwesvaran, Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo, delivered a special lecture on the subject of law.
Furthermore, Mr. Dharmasiri Gamage, Director General of Public Relations at the Presidential Secretariat, and Mr. Subash Roshana Gamage, Senior Additional Secretary to the President, educated the students on the benefits that can be obtained from the President’s Fund at the local government level and on the Clean Sri Lanka Programme.
Following the inauguration of the Student Parliament, the Speaker of the Student Parliament was appointed and took the oath, followed by the swearing-in of the Student Members of Parliament. After the speeches delivered by the Prime Minister of the Student Parliament and other Student Ministers, the session was adjourned.
Certificates of participation were also awarded to the Members of the Student Parliament in conjunction with the event.
Major Nadeeka Dangolla, Assistant Director of the Presidential Secretariat, Principal of Mahamaya Girls’ College Ms. Shashikala Senadheera, and members of the academic staff, parents, and a number of invited guests were present at the occasion.
2025-11-03
A ceremony to felicitate students who achieved outstanding results in the 2023/2024 GCE Advanced Level Examination, under the President’s Fund programme for honouring high achievers, was held yesterday (Nov. 02) at the Badulla Library Auditorium, under the patronage of Hon. Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne. At this event, 240 students from the Badulla and Monaragala Districts who ranked between 1st and 10th place in six subject streams at the GCE Advanced Level examinations of 2023 and 2024 received certificates of appreciation and incentive awards of Rs. 100,000 each. A total of Rs. 24 million from the President’s Fund has been allocated for this purpose. Senior Additional Secretary to the President and Secretary of the President’s Fund, Mr. Roshana Gamage, delivered the welcome speech and explained the objectives of the programme. Addressing the gathering, Hon. Speaker (Dr.) Jagath Wickramaratne stated that the present government is making a significant investment in education, emphasizing that nothing is more valuable for a nation’s future than investment in education. He further said that if children contribute to the country through the knowledge they gain, the government’s investment will truly benefit the nation. “We want you to become educated and wise. A wise person will never build an atomic bomb. If an educated person engages in fraud, that education has no value. In such a situation, only learning exists, not wisdom. Therefore, if you use your education for the betterment of the country, you will repay the nourishment and care your parents provided to raise you into who you are today,” the Speaker added. Speaking at the event, Hon. Minister of Plantation and Community Infrastructure, Samantha Vidyaratne, noted that the government is pleased to support programmes of this nature aimed at strengthening the future of children, in line with the new administration’s vision. The Minister also expressed gratitude to the President’s Fund for facilitating this initiative. He further explained that the President’s Fund was established to provide relief to those affected by poverty and to build a brighter future for the children of the nation through education. The present government has taken measures to operate the President’s Fund in a more structured and decentralized manner so that qualified beneficiaries at the regional level now receive its support. Meanwhile, a special one-day training programme aimed at decentralizing the activities of the President’s Fund was conducted on 1st of November 2025 at the Badulla District Secretariat for officers in charge from all Divisional Secretariats in the Uva Province. Hon. Deputy Minister of Tourism Professor Ruwan Ranasinghe, Hon. Members of Parliament Sudath Balagalla and Attorney-at-Law Sarath Kumara, Mayor of Badulla Nandana Kelumsiri Hapugoda, Chief Secretary of the Uva Province Anusha Gokula Perera, Secretary to the Uva Education Ministry Nihal Gunaratne, District Secretary of Badulla Panduka Sri Prabath Aberathna, District Secretary of Monaragala A. G. Nishantha, along with government officials, scholarship recipients and their parents were present at the occasion.
2025-10-31
A special discussion regarding the security of Hon. Members of Parliament representing the Opposition was held today (OCt. 31) at Parliament, under the chairmanship of Hon. Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, with the participation of Inspector General of Police (Attorney-at-Law) Priyantha Weerasuriya. The discussion was attended by Hon. Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa, along with party leaders and several Opposition MPs. During the meeting, they requested the Hon. Speaker to take necessary measures to ensure security for all Members of Parliament representing the Opposition. The Hon. Speaker stated that the Inspector General of Police had already been informed to take appropriate action regarding all security requests made by MPs. He further noted that, although the Government has already made a policy decision regarding the security of Members of Parliament, he had taken steps to address requests that went beyond that decision, and as a result, security had already been provided to several MPs. The Speaker also informed the IGP to take necessary steps regarding the requests made by the opposition members today. Speaking at the meeting, the IGP stated that he would take steps to inform the Hon. President and the Minister of Public Security regarding this request. The opposition members who participated in this meeting pointed out that all opposition members should first be provided with security so that their political activities can be carried out in a safe environment without any hindrance and then take steps to obtain a threat assessment report and take further action. The Chief of Staff and Deputy Secretary General of Parliament Chaminda Kularatne, the Serjeant-at-Arms of Parliament, Kushan Jayaratne, and a group of officers representing the Sri Lanka Police participated in this special discussion.
2025-10-31
A high-level delegation from the Parliament of Sri Lanka, led by Hon. (Dr) Jagath Wickramaratne, Speaker of Parliament, undertook a four-day official visit to the United Kingdom from 26 to 29 October 2025. The visit was aimed at strengthening inter-parliamentary collaboration, advancing democratic governance, and promoting institutional transparency and accountability.The delegation comprised Hon. (Dr) Nalinda Jayatissa, Minister of Health and Mass Media and Chief Government Whip; Hon. (Attorney at Law) Harshana Nanayakkara, Minister of Justice and National Integration and President of the UK–Sri Lanka Parliamentary Friendship Association; Hon. (Ms) Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus; and Mr. Hansa Abeyratne, Assistant Secretary General of Parliament.The visit was facilitated by WFD and funded by United Kingdom International Development and the delegation was accompanied by the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, H.E. Andrew Patrick. The visit focused on institutional frameworks and practices that promote effective legislation, oversight, and good governance. A principal area of discussion was Post-Legislative Scrutiny (PLS)—a process through which legislatures systematically review the implementation and impact of laws after their enactment to ensure they deliver intended outcomes and serve the interests of citizens. The Sri Lankan delegation engaged extensively with UK parliamentarians, committee officials, and oversight bodies to study how such mechanisms enhance accountability and anti-corruption efforts.During the visit, the delegation held high-level meetings with Rt Hon. Sir Lindsay Hoyle MP, Speaker of the House of Commons; Seema Malhotra MP, Minister for the Indo-Pacific at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO); and Cat Smith MP, Chair of the House of Commons Procedure Committee. Hon. (Ms) Saroja Savithri Paulraj, Minister of Women and Child Affairs and Chairperson of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus, also met with Rt Hon. Baroness Harriet Harman, UK Prime Minister’s Special Envoy for Women and Girls, for a focused discussion on advancing gender equality and women’s empowerment through parliamentary action.The delegation also met with academic experts at the Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, University of London, to explore opportunities for technical collaboration on enhancing the Parliament of Sri Lanka’s legislative review processes. Further consultations were held with senior officials and Board Members of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy, including Mr. Anthony Smith, Chief Executive Officer, and Ms. Yasmin Qureshi MP, Chair of the WFD Board, on strengthening ongoing partnerships between the two institutions.The visit provided an invaluable opportunity for both Parliaments to share experiences and reaffirm their shared commitment to promote democratic governance, institutional integrity, and the rule of law. It further underscored the strong and enduring friendship between Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom, founded upon a mutual recognition of the central role of Parliaments in advancing accountability and good governance.
2025-10-31
The Hon. Speaker, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, endorsed the certificate on the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Bill on 30.10.2025.The third reading of the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Bill took place on 21.10.2025 and it was passed by Parliament with amendments.This is a Bill to amend the Personal Data Protection Act, No. 9 of 2022. This bill, which was published in the Gazette on 27 March 2025 and presented to Parliament by the Minister of Digital Economy on 08 May 2025, introduces amendments that are considered essential in the implementation of the principal Act.Accordingly, this Bill amends Sections 1, 12, 17, 18, 19, 20, 24, 25, 52, 53, 56 and Schedule VI of the principal Act, and replaces Section 26 and introduces a new Section 51A in to the Principal Act.Recognizing the importance of having an institution to exercise regulatory powers and to prepare for future developments related to data, this Act will facilitate equal support for both the public and private sectors in adopting digital strategies and ensure that the rights of data subjects are meaningfully protected.Accordingly, this bill comes into force as the Personal Data Protection (Amendment) Act No. 22 of 2025.
Handbook of Parliament
The System of Elections in Sri Lanka
How Parliament Works
Business of Parliament
Copyright © The Parliament of Sri Lanka.
All Rights Reserved.
Design & Developed by TekGeeks
