Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney at Law, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· National List

Profession: Lawyer

Roster profile ↗

Speeches 100 #47 of 225·#21 in party

Attendance 7/8 days present (of recorded)

Speech history

100 speeches

22 July 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra explained that the two Budgetary Relief Allowance amendment Bills require a two-thirds majority only because they are being passed simultaneously with the National Minimum Wage amendment, following a Supreme Court determination. She argued that the Rs. 3,500 allowance is not being removed in a way that cuts workers’ pay, but is being absorbed into the basic wage while the minimum wage is increased, with a further step to Rs. 30,000 in January to allow employers, including SMEs, to adjust. She also urged the Minister to establish a regular mechanism for periodic review of private-sector wages instead of relying on ad hoc legislation. Debate: National Minimum Wage of Workers and Budgetary Relief Allowance Bills (Second and Third Readings) Public FinanceParliamentary ProcedureEmployment Read →
5 June 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra rejected claims by SJB MP Mujibur Rahuman that NPP councillors would support the SJB mayoral candidate for the Colombo Municipal Council, stating that the NPP would not enter such arrangements and referring to bribery complaints against the candidate. On the National Transport Commission (Amendment) Bill, she said it would strengthen the NTC’s regulatory powers over public transport, including buses, school and office services, three-wheelers, fares, permits, technology use, and passenger and road safety standards. She argued that long-delayed regulatory reforms had contributed to transport sector problems and road safety costs, and framed the Bill as a corrective measure. She also cited the SriLankan Airlines Airbus procurement case as an example of corruption and weak enforcement imposing continuing public costs. Debate: National Transport Commission (Amendment) Bill - Second Reading InfrastructureCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
21 May 2025 AI summary Asked the Deputy Minister about the status of Government relief measures concerning the parate law and the restructuring process initiated with the involvement of the Ministry of Finance. Requested an update on the current progress of that process. Procedural: Questions on Bank of Ceylon Relief and Allied Health Graduates - Final Business Public FinanceLaw & Order Read →
21 May 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra asked the Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning for detailed information on Bank of Ceylon support to SMEs following its reported Rs. 30 billion pre-tax profit in the first quarter of 2025. She requested data on SME loans granted and repaid in 2025, district-wise and size-band breakdowns, amounts provided to women and youth, and details of any non-credit support programmes for SMEs. Procedural: Questions on Bank of Ceylon Relief and Allied Health Graduates - Final Business EmploymentPublic Finance Read →
20 May 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra briefly thanked the Presiding Member and indicated she would conclude her remarks. No substantive policy position, proposal, or question was raised in the excerpt. Debate: Order under the Excise (Special Provisions) Act - Electric Vehicle Tax Revision (Continued) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
20 May 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra rejected claims that the Government is discouraging electric vehicles or renewable energy, stating that policy decisions must account for issues such as EV battery disposal and environmental impacts. She clarified that expected revenue from vehicle imports is around Rs. 400 billion, not Rs. 750 billion, and said COPF data and first-quarter results indicate targets are being met. She described the measure as aimed solely at increasing state revenue. Debate: Order under the Excise (Special Provisions) Act - Electric Vehicle Tax Revision (Continued) Public FinanceEnvironment Read →
20 May 2025 AI summary The Member stated that the Gazette debated was issued on 31 January 2025 as part of the tax policy formulated when vehicle imports were permitted, and is now before Parliament for approval after consideration by the Committee on Public Finance. She rejected claims that it was a new or reversed policy, explaining that it includes excise measures on electric vehicles. She argued that the increased EV excise is intended to address declining revenue as EV imports rise, while maintaining that the overall tax burden on EVs remains lower than on petrol and diesel vehicles. Debate: Order under the Excise (Special Provisions) Act - Electric Vehicle Tax Revision (Continued) Public FinanceEnvironment Read →
8 May 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra rejected an Opposition allegation that money was paid to secure control of the Colombo Municipal Council, stating that the NPP would not engage in such practices. She accused Opposition parties of spreading false narratives about local election results, the economy, US tariffs and the Government’s position on the IMF, and said the Government’s approach to the IMF programme remained consistent and aimed at people-friendly adjustments. She argued that local election outcomes should be assessed by wards and control of local bodies rather than by claims of national-level victories, and said the NPP viewed the results as a mandate of public trust to continue its work. Debate: Customs Ordinance - Resolution on Import Duties on Motor Vehicles Public FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
8 May 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra asked the Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education to provide details of former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s official foreign visits from 2022 to 2024. She requested the number of visits, countries visited, objectives, benefits to Sri Lanka, accompanying persons funded by the Government and reasons for their inclusion, as well as the total expenditure incurred. Oral Questions: Foreign Official Visits by Former President (Q.5/2024) and Follow-up Questions Foreign Affairs Read →
8 April 2025 AI summary The Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra supported the Proceeds of Crime Bill, linking it to public demands after the economic crisis and IMF governance recommendations for asset recovery legislation. She argued that the Bill demonstrates political will to recover illicitly acquired public wealth and strengthens investigation, prosecution and court powers, including through a designated senior police officer and a Proceeds of Crime Management Authority. She highlighted the rebuttable presumption on unexplained wealth and non-conviction-based asset recovery as key mechanisms, with recovered assets to be credited to the Consolidated Fund and potentially used for reparations and institutional strengthening. Debate: Proceeds of Crime Bill – Second Reading Justice & Human RightsPublic FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
21 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra argued during the Committee Stage debate on the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development Vote that stronger public investment and a capable public service are essential for development. She criticized past politicization of recruitment and administration, saying the public service had been used for patronage while recent recruitment freezes also weakened capacity. She said the Budget seeks to protect and strengthen the public service through salary increases, depoliticization, and needs-based recruitment, while improving efficiency, standards, and service delivery. Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Twenty-sixth Day) and Third Reading EmploymentPublic FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
17 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra argued that the 1978 Constitution and the Executive Presidency have long weakened democratic institutions, while previous governments that promised abolition failed to act. She said the National People’s Power Government remains committed to introducing a new Constitution, drawing on the 2015–2019 process and fulfilling its mandate, including reforms to the Executive Presidency. She rejected the Opposition’s call for urgent committees or immediate action, stating that the Government will proceed on its own timeline after ongoing electoral processes and Provincial Council elections. Adjournment Motion: Necessity of Drafting a New Constitution Corruption & Governance ReformParliamentary Procedure Read →
8 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra seconded the motion supporting ratification of ILO Convention C190 on violence and harassment in the world of work, noting that it broadens responsibility beyond individual victims to employers, managers, colleagues, and society. She argued that ratification must be followed by domestic implementing legislation to prevent workplace harassment and violence, particularly against women, and to make workplaces safer and more productive. She urged the Minister of Labour to move swiftly from ratification to legislation, framing the call in the context of International Women’s Day. Adjournment Motion: ILO Convention No. 190 - Empowerment of Women at Workplace Women & ChildrenJustice & Human RightsEmployment Read →
8 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra formally raised Question No. 1 in Parliament. No substantive policy argument or additional details were provided in the speech. Oral Question: Various questions (Q.259/2024, Q.381/2025) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
7 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra highlighted that 12,240 road accident deaths occurred in the past five years, with pedestrians, motorcyclists, and three-wheeler drivers among the main victims. She said recommendations from the 2014 P. Dayaratne Report and parliamentary committees to strengthen transport regulation, including empowering the National Transport Commission to regulate three-wheelers and school transport, had remained largely unimplemented for a decade. She noted that the Government has now submitted a Cabinet paper to amend the NTC Act and is working to reconstitute the National Council for Road Safety as a Commission, calling for coordinated, system-wide action to prioritize road safety. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) InfrastructureLaw & OrderPublic Finance Read →
7 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra responded to concerns about a proposed lawyers’ office complex in Kandy, stating that a foundation stone had been laid before the land was officially released by the UDA and that any action must follow lawful procedures. She said the Justice Ministry does not have a mandate to allocate land or build such complexes, though the Government would assist within legal limits. She then outlined work by the Transport Advisory Council’s legal reform subcommittee, emphasizing public transport as a public service with economic, environmental and safety implications. Referring to the UN Decade of Action for Road Safety, she highlighted that 12,240 people had died in road accidents in Sri Lanka over the past five years. Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage (Heads 117, 123, 306, 307, 309-311, 332, 336) InfrastructureLaw & OrderEnvironment Read →
4 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra clarified that she had not accused doctors or health workers of being thieves, while criticizing attempts to mislead the public on that issue. She focused on proposed labour law reforms, asking the Minister to state the current status of the draft review and stressing that reforms should proceed through proper tripartite consultation, including the National Labour Advisory Council. She criticized the 2023 draft as insufficiently consultative and inadequate in addressing women’s low labour force participation, urging the Ministry to prioritize recognition of unpaid care work through measures such as maternity benefits, childcare, and other supportive policies. Appropriation Bill 2025 — Twelfth Allotted Day — Committee Stage Women & ChildrenEmployment Read →
3 March 2025 AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra contrasted the Government’s energy policy with previous administrations, stating that proposed Electricity Act reforms would restructure the CEB into five state-owned entities while keeping transmission fully under state control and rejecting privatization. She said the Mannar wind tender review arose from an appeal under the previous government, defended stakeholder consultations, and argued that fuel pricing decisions should protect the public rather than unlawful profits or sectoral lobbies. She also noted that the Ministry is preparing a “Women in Energy” policy to increase women’s participation and leadership in the sector. Committee Stage Debate: Appropriation Bill 2025 - Head 119 (Ministry of Energy) Public FinanceInfrastructureWomen & Children Read →
1 March 2025 AI summary Lakmali Hemachandra supported the concerns behind the Motion to establish a Select Committee on the Administration of Justice, citing longstanding case backlogs, resource shortages, inadequate court infrastructure, and staffing gaps, including translators in districts such as Jaffna. She argued that these problems predate the current Government and said judicial independence, policing, and issues linked to past politicization are being addressed. She maintained that the Attorney-General’s Department, Police, and courts should be allowed to function under the new Government’s reforms, and concluded that establishing a Select Committee at this stage is premature and unnecessary. Adjournment Debate: Select Committee on Administration of Justice Justice & Human RightsLaw & Order Read →
1 March 2025 AI summary Lakmali Hemachandra rejected Opposition claims of a fuel supply disruption, saying Government Ministers had provided distribution figures and that panic buying was caused by misinformation and some media reporting. She defended the Minister of Justice and argued that access to justice should be expanded despite fiscal constraints, including more targeted legal aid for workers and people near industrial zones. She highlighted increased 2025 allocations for alternative dispute resolution, including a 30 percent increase for the Debt Conciliation Board with two new branches, and a 118 percent increase for Mediation Boards with specialized boards in several districts. She also called for a more efficient and sensitive justice-system response to crimes against women and children, with future budgetary support. Committee of Supply: Ministry of Justice and National Integration (Head 110, Heads 228-236, Head 326) Cost of LivingJustice & Human RightsWomen & Children Read →