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Department of Legislative Services

INTRODUCTION

Table Office in the Legislature of Sri Lanka is exclusively responsible for conducting Business of Parliament in all three languages, i.e. Sinhalese, Tamil, and English in the light of the Article 18 of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and in terms of the provisions stipulated in the Standing Order 13 of the Parliament of Sri Lanka.

SEPARATE UNITS IN THE TABLE OFFICE

There are four separate Units in the Table Office for the smooth functioning of the proceedings of the House of Parliament as follows:-

  1. Parliamentary Questions Unit
  2. Order Book/ Addendum, Order Paper and Minutes of Parliament Unit
  3. Order of Business, Presentation of Papers in Parliament, Private Members’ Motions, No-date Motions, etc. Unit
  4. Committee on Parliamentary Business and Special Duties Unit

 

PREPARATION OF PARLIAMENTARY PUBLICATIONS

The Table Office is exclusively responsible for preparation of the following Parliamentary Publications as pivotal requirements to conduct the proceedings of the House of Parliament:-

  • Order Book of Parliament
  • Addenda to the Order Book of Parliament
  • Order Paper of Parliament
  • Presentation of Papers in Parliament
  • Order of Business of Parliament
  • Minutes of Parliament

 

ORDER BOOK OF PARLIAMENT

All Questions for Oral Answers and NOT for Oral Answers received by the Secretary-General of Parliament from Members of Parliament have to be included in the Order Book for answer on a day not earlier than seven clear days from the day on which the notice was given.

All Motions such as Regulations, Resolutions, Rules, Orders, Agreements, Supplementary Estimates under the provisions of the Constitution and other Legislations of Parliament have to be included in the Order Book and no debate thereon shall take place unless five clear days have lapsed since the notice was given.

Motions (No Confidence and Confidence Motions, Impeachment Motions, Appointment of Select Committees of Parliament, etc.) for which dates have not been fixed and Private Members’ Motions have to be published in the Order Book.

The Order Book is published once in three or four months and the Head of the Table Office decides when the Order Book should be published.

ADDENDUM TO THE ORDER BOOK OF PARLIAMENT

Addendum is published as a supplement to the Order Book at the end of each Sitting Week showing any notice of Parliamentary Questions for future dates and Motions for which future dates have been fixed or not.

Order Book of Parliament or Addendum thereto is sent to all Members of Parliament including Ministers, Deputies, Secretaries to the respective Ministries and other concerned officials including Media through the speed post as soon as it is printed.

Finalized soft copy of trilingual Order Book of Parliament or Addendum thereto is released by the Head of the Table Office to the Director (Information & Systems Management) to be published in the Parliament Web Site at the same time it is sent for printing.

ORDER PAPER OF PARLIAMENT

Order Paper of Parliament, which is the formal agenda for each Sitting of Parliament, is printed in all three languages.

The Order Paper of Parliament only for the first sitting day of each sitting week is sent to all Members of Parliament including Ministers, Deputies, Secretaries to the respective Ministries and other concerned officials including Media through speed post.

Finalized soft copy of trilingual Order Paper of Parliament is released by the Head of the Table Office to the Director (Information & Systems Management) to be published in the Parliament Web Site at the same time it is sent for printing.

Order Paper of Parliament contains:-

  • Mace of Parliament
  • Chronological Order of Parliament and its Session
  • Serial Number of Order Paper of Parliament
  • Date and Time of commencement of Sitting of Parliament
  • Questions of Parliament for Oral Answers
  • Votes of Condolence, if any
  • Notice of Presentation of Government Bills
  • Notice of Motions which require notice and not
  • Public Business-
    • Bills for Second Reading, Committee, Consideration, etc.
    • Motions (Resolutions, Regulations, Orders, Rules, Agreements, Supplementary Estimates, Annual Reports, etc.)
    • Private Members’ Motions (First Friday of Sitting of each month)
  • Indication of Government Business with an asterisk*
  • Questions of Parliament NOT for Oral Answers

 

PRESENTATION OF PAPERS IN PARLIAMENT

Presentation of Papers  is a statutory requirement. Resolutions, Regulations, Rules, Orders, Supplementary Estimates, etc. under various Legislations of Parliament are presented on the floor of the House by the Hon. Speaker, respective Cabinet Ministers, Minister who is not a member of the Cabinet of Ministers or Deputy Minister as the case may be.

Annual Performance Reports, Annual Reports such as the Central Bank Report and the Financial Statements of various Ministries, Public Corporations and Statutory Bodies like the Human Rights Commission and the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration (Ombudsman) fall within the purview of Presentation of Papers in Parliament.

Presentation of all Papers are included in the Order of Business of Parliament and recorded in the Minutes of Parliament.

A short explanatory statement of the contents of any Paper could be made on its presentation, but no debate takes place at the time of its presentation.

All Papers so presented shall be deemed to have been ordered to lie upon the Table or referred to Committees or to be printed.

ORDER OF BUSINESS OF PARLIAMENT

Order of Business is a trilingual pivotal docket prepared including all relevant supporting Bills, Reports, Gazettes, Amendments to Bills, etc. for the use of the Hon. Speaker or the Presiding Member as the case may be in accordance with the Standing Order 22 of Parliament for each Sitting of Parliament to conduct the proceedings on the floor of the House smoothly.

Secretary-General of Parliament, Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament, and Assistant Secretary-General are also provided with a detailed copy of the Order of Business of Parliament for their reference.

The Table Office is responsible for providing a detailed copy of the Order of Business to:-

  1. Leader of the House of Parliament
  2. Chief Government Whip
  3. Leader of the Opposition
  4. Director (Legislative Services)
  5. Editor of Hansard (3 copies)
  6. Chief Parliamentary Interpreter (3 copies)
  7. Head of the Table Office
  8. Librarian
  9. Research Unit
  10. Chamber of the House (3 copies)
    Presentation of Papers separately in triplicate indicating
    * Presentation of Papers Today
    * SGP
    * Duplicate
  11. Principal Officers (Table Office)
  12. Language Streams of the Table Office

 

Assistant Director (Administration), the Head of the Table Office is expected to brief all contents of the Order of Business of Parliament to the Hon. Speaker or the Presiding Member concerned, the Secretary-General of Parliament, the Deputy Secretary-General, and the Assistant Secretary-General prior to the commencement of each Sitting of Parliament. He has to ensure all relevant documents are available in the dockets.

Officer attached to the Table Office is always available in the Officials’ Box in the Chamber to take down important events of proceedings of each Sitting of Parliament until the Adjournment of the House.

The Business of Parliament shall be transacted in the following Order:-

  • Official Oath or Affirmation
  • Messages from the President
  • Announcements by the Hon. Speaker
  • Presentation of Papers
  • Presentation of Committee Reports
  • Petitions
  • Questions
  • Questions under Standing Order 27(2)
  • Motions for Leave of Absence
  • Ministerial Statements
  • Personal Explanations
  • Questions of Privileges
  • Motions
  • Votes of Condolence
  • Public Business
  • Adjournment
  • Motions at the Adjournment Time

 

MINUTES OF PARLIAMENT

Minutes  are the Official records of what happens in Parliament on each Sitting Day. It is a  summary of  all proceedings  that take place on the floor of the House and prepared  by the  Table  Office in all three languages and endorsed by the Secretary-General of Parliament.

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS

In Parliament, Question is asked by a Member of Parliament from a Minister to obtain information or press for action; it covers the whole administration of the country, and ranges from foreign relations to the individual victim of bureaucracy.

When a Parliamentary Question is received -

  • Date Stamp should be affixed and endorsed by the Head of the Table Office
  • Each Question is registered with a number indicating the current year
  • Registered Question is computer typed by the Computer Operators
  • Question is then edited according to the rules in the Standing Order 36
  • Edited Question is submitted to ASG for approval
  • Approved Questions are sent to CPI for translation into other languages
  • Translated Questions are computer typed by the Computer Operators
  • Completed trilingual Questions are scheduled in the Order Book or the Addendum as the case may be
  • Draft trilingual Order Book or Addendum is handed over to the relevant language stream for perusal
  • It is proofread and finalized for printing
  • Disapproved or disallowed Questions are returned to the Members of Parliament concerned

 

PROCEDURE IN RELATION TO PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
(Standing Orders 31 to 37)

There are two types of questions.

  • Questions for Oral Answers
  • Questions NOT for Oral Answers

Questions relating to Public affairs or subjects assigned to the President (where there is no Deputy Minister) are asked from the Prime Minister and other questions from the relevant Minister who has a ministerial responsibility.

 

NOTICE REQUIRED FOR PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
(Standing Orders 27(2))

All Parliamentary Questions for Oral or NOT for Oral Answers are included on the Order Book or its Addendum before seven clear days from the date scheduled to be asked in Parliament.

 

PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS ON THE ORDER PAPER

Only Ten (10) Parliamentary Questions for Oral Answers are listed at first on the Order Paper of Parliament per sitting day according to the chronological order.

One Question for each Member of Parliament are listed on first come first served basis.

Two supplementary questions for the purpose of further elucidating any matter related to the answer given may be raised.

No debate is allowed.

There is no limit for the number of Questions NOT for Oral Answers to be listed on the Order Paper of Parliament.

Replies are published in the Hansard in the language answered on the floor of the House.

 

RULES RELATED TO PARLIAMENTARY QUESTIONS
(Standing Order 36)

  • The Question should be limited to the subject.
  • Should not exceed 150 words.
  • Member asking the Question is responsible for any statement contained therein.
  • The following should not contain.
  • Any name or statement strictly not necessary
    Argument or Inference
    Imputation
    Ironical expression
    Epithet
    Matters pending before any Committee
    Matters pending a judicial decision or sub judice
    Expression of opinion, or abstract legal question, or hypothetical proposition
    Character or conduct of any person
    Making or implying a charge of a personal character
    Question fully answered/ during the current session

 

PRIVATE MEMBERS’ MOTIONS

Private Members’ Business shall have precedence on the First Friday Sitting of Parliament in each month.

Private Member means a Member of Parliament who does not hold any portfolio in Parliament.

All Private Members’ Motions received by the Table Office are processed in terms of the provisions of the Standing Orders of Parliament and then such motions in order are published in the Order Book or its Addendum.

ALLOCATION OF TIME FOR PRIVATE MEMBERS’ MOTIONS

Each Motion is taken up for discussion for an hour on the floor of the House: 10 minutes for the Mover, 05 minutes for each speaker, 10 minutes for the respective Minister and finally 05 minutes again for the Mover.

When the Private Members’ Motions are debated in the House approved or disapproved, they have to be recorded accordingly in the Minutes of Parliament. Such Motions have to be excluded from the Order Paper of Parliament.

 

COMMITTEE ON PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS / PARTY LEADERS’ MEETING

Committee on Parliamentary Business is the formal body under Standing Order 115 which shall consider and decide on the time that should be allocated for the discussion of such Business of Parliament and such other matters as the Hon. Speaker in consultation with the Leader of the House of Parliament may refer to the Committee.

The Committee on Parliamentary Business consists of the Hon. Speaker, the Hon. Deputy Speaker, the Hon. Deputy Chair of Committees, the Hon. Leader of the House of Parliament, the Hon. Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, the Hon. Chief Government Whip and the Hon. Chief Opposition Whip and 08 other Members of Parliament nominated by the Committee of Selection.

Party Leaders’ Meeting is the informal Committee to consider and decide on the time that should be allocated for discussion of Parliamentary Business and such other matters until the Committee on Parliamentary Business is formally constituted.

Once it is decided to hold a meeting the Head of the Table Office is responsible for the following duties and ensure its completion:-

  1. Trilingual Summoning Letter signed by the Secretary-General of Parliament has to be distributed among all members of the Committee.
  2. Internal Circulation of the Summoning Letter to the officials concerned.
  3. Summoning Letter to be faxed to the Members of the Committee and inform them over the telephone.
  4. To make an Announcement in the House.
  5. To prepare an Agenda for the meeting and trilingual Minutes of the previous meeting for confirmation.
  6. To inform CPI and Editor of Hansard to have Services of Interpretation and Verbatim of the Proceedings of the meeting.
  7. To prepare the minutes thereon forthwith and submit the same for SGP’s signature.
  8. To circulate the minutes thereof to members of the Committee and other respective offices.
  9. To send the English minutes to CPI for translation into Sinhalese and Tamil.
  10. To complete the trilingual minutes and post them to members of the Committee by Registered Post and table at the next meeting for confirmation.

 

SPECIAL DUTIES ASSIGNED TO THE TABLE OFFICE

VOTES OF CONDOLENCE

Votes of Condolence on the Late Hon. Members of Parliament are taken up-

  1. Preparation of the end note to be read by the Hon. Speaker
  2. Bound Extract of the Hansard of the respective Vote of Condolence is sent to the Kith and Kin of the Late Hon. Member of Parliament

 

CEREMONIAL OPENING OF PARLIAMENT

Immediately after a General Election the following preliminary arrangements have to be made by the Head of the Table Office on behalf of the Secretary- General of Parliament:-

  1. To obtain a list of all Elected Members of Parliament according to their Electoral Districts and Appointed Members on the National List together with their addresses.
  2. To obtain 300 copies of the Gazette Notifications in relation to the above.
  3. To send a trilingual letter to all elected and appointed Members of Parliament through Speed Post.
  4. The letter should contain the following:-

    * Informing the date and time of the First Meeting of Parliament.

    * Enquiring whether Members of Parliament wishes to take Oath of Allegiance or make the Affirmation in which language they prefer for same.

    * Enclosing the following documents:-
    1. A copy of the Gazette Notification of the Proclamation fixing the date of the First Meeting of Parliament.
    2. A copy of the trilingual Memorandum on the Order of Business of Parliament and the Ceremonial Opening of the First Meeting of Parliament.
    3. A copy of the trilingual Order of Business of Parliament for the First Meeting of Parliament.
    4. Car Label supplied by the Serjeant-at-Arms facilitating all Members of Parliament to arrive in Parliament without any difficulty.
  5. Requesting the Elected and Appointed Members of Parliament to inform as to which address all Papers of Parliament should be forwarded.
  6. Ensure printed trilingual Standing Orders are available to be distributed among the newly elected Members of Parliament.
  7. Check the following documents:-
    1. Trilingual Oath Papers
    2. Ballot Papers for Election of Hon. Speaker, Hon. Deputy Speaker and Hon. Deputy Chair of Committees - (SGP’s frank should be affixed on the reverse of each Ballot Paper)
    3. Dockets for newly elected Members of Parliament with respective labels.
    4. Dockets for the use of Hon. Speaker, Secretary-General of Parliament, Deputy Secretary-General of Parliament and Assistant Secretary-General and the Table Office.
    5. 2 Ballot Boxes can be used.
    6. Obtain the stationery items for sealing purposes of  the Ballot Box in the Chamber -
    7. Sealing Wax
      Candles
      Box of Matches
      Red Tape
    8. Questionnaire for the Hon. Members of Parliament
  8. Trilingual Attendance Sheets
  9. Division List in terms of Standing Order 47 (2)
  10. Address Lists of the Hon. Members of Parliament for Sitting Days and Non Sitting Days and also Ministries etc. to which Order Paper of Parliament, other Parliamentary Publications etc. should be posted.
  11. Trilingual Order of Business of Parliament which includes the following:-
    1. Secretary-General of Parliament to read the Proclamation of the President summoning the Meeting.
    2. Election of a Speaker (Standing Order 4 of Parliament)
    3. Oath or Affirmation by newly elected Members of Parliament (Standing Order No. 5 of Parliament)
    4. Election of a Deputy Speaker (Standing Order 6 (2) of Parliament)
    5. Election of a Deputy Chair of Committees (Standing Order 6 (2) of Parliament)
  12. If the President addresses Parliament on the same day, the following too will have to be included:-
    • The Speaker to read the Message of the President
    • Address by the President
  13. Notice of Motion (Sitting Motion to be moved by the Leader of the House regarding next Sitting.)
  14. Printing of the trilingual Memorandum on the Order of Business of Parliament and Ceremonial Opening with a detailed description of the items on the Order of Business Parliament.
  15. Copy of the Order of Business of Parliament and Note for the use of the Hon. Speaker listing the Business of the day in detail.
  16. “Information Desk” to be operated in Parliamentary Complex for two days for the convenience of the newly elected Members of Parliament.
  17. Meeting of all Heads of Departments, Deputies, Sectional Heads should be summoned to decide on the following:-
    1. To appoint a Committee to operate the Information Desk
    2. The following Booklets/ Documents to be issued at the Information Desk -
      • Copies of the trilingual Constitution and the Standing Orders
      • Information regarding facilities of Members of Parliament and other relevant information
      • Telephone Directory of the Parliamentary Complex
      • Powers and Privileges Act
      • Up-dated Information Book entitled “Services and Facilities to Members of Parliament”
      • Enrolment forms for the CPA, IPU and SAARC
  18. Members’ Role to be signed by all newly elected Members of Parliament immediately after taking Oaths or Affirmation.

 

If Parliament is prorogued, special kind of duties are involved with the Table Office regarding the proceedings of the House at its first meeting of the new Session of Parliament.



Table Office

Name

Perera MJ

Phone

0112770477

Email

jayalath_p@parliament.lk





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