A Private Member means a Member who is not holding any Office such as the office of the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Deputy Chairman of Committees, Prime Minister, Minister of Cabinet of Ministers, Minister who is not a member of the Cabinet of Ministers, Deputy Minister, Leader of the House of Parliament, Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Chief Government Whip and the Chief Opposition Whip.
Proposals submitted by a Private Member of Parliament on important matters pertaining to various subjects are considered as Private Members’ Motions. Such Motions are presented to Parliament and debated or rejected.
Such proposals should first be handed over to the Secretary-General of Parliament. Before the due date on which the motion shall be debated in Parliament, Private Members' Motions will be noticed in accordance with the order that they are received, in the Order Book or Addendum.
The Friday, first week of Parliamentary Sittings of each month receives the priority for Private Members’ Motions.
However, the debate on the Private Members' Motions is decided by the Committee on Parliamentary Business.
After calling the name of the Member by the Speaker, the motion is submitted by the respective Member. Thereafter, the motion is seconded by another Member of Parliament and debated. However, if the relevant Member of Parliament is not present, another Member who is duly authorized can move the motion on behalf of the relevant Member of Parliament. Otherwise, the motion will be lapsed.
According to the Standing Orders of the Parliament, only ten motions in the name of a Private Member may be included in the Order Book of Parliament.
A motion of every Private Member is debated for an hour in the House. The relevant one hour period will be allocated as 10 minutes for the MP who is moving the motion, 5 minutes for the Member who seconds the motion, 5 minutes each for other Member of Parliament who wishes to speak, 10 minutes for the Minister in charge of the relevant subject for the reply and finally another 5 minutes for the Member who moved the motion.
Adoption or non-adoption of a Private Member motion is included in the minutes of the Parliament.
After debating the Private Members’ motions scheduled for the day, motions further left behind to be debated on another day shall be included in the Order Book or Addendum in order to be noticed as per the Standing Orders of Parliament on the same Friday notifying the next scheduled date.
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
