Politick Parliament. On record. For every citizen.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, M.P.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB)· Colombo

Profession: Economist

Roster profile ↗
Speeches 295 #15 of 225·#6 in party
Attendance 6/8 days present (of recorded)
Top topic Parliamentary Procedure 167 speeches
Last spoke 10 June 2026 in Debate

Activity by sitting

86 sittings · counts only, no scoring.

Topic focus

AI summary AI-assigned tags, 1–3 per speech. Counts only — not a score.

Speech history

295 speeches
  • 23 January 2025 AI summary Welcoming the Navy’s rescue of Rohingya arrivals, Dr. Harsha de Silva criticised Government statements suggesting deportation to Myanmar and argued that such action would breach the international law principle of non-refoulement. He rejected claims of large-scale illegal migration as fearmongering and called for coherent diplomatic handling, including access for UNHCR. He urged the Government to provide humanitarian assistance and not return the refugees to Myanmar against their consent, citing international principles including protections against enforced disappearance. Adjournment Motion: Ensuring Protection for Rohingya Refugees in Sri Lanka Foreign AffairsJustice & Human Rights Read →
  • 23 January 2025 AI summary Clarified to the Minister that he had not personally alleged that one million metric tons was missing, but had only relayed information that had been stated to him. Committee Report: Regulations under Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 23 January 2025 AI summary The Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva presented the Committee on Public Finance report on import/export control regulations, a Strategic Development Projects Act notification, and a Ports and Airports Development Levy order. He noted action to resolve discrepancies between food import standards and Consumer Affairs Authority standards, and raised concerns about inconsistent paddy and rice production data used to justify rice import decisions, asking the Agriculture and Finance Ministries to examine the matter, including claims of missing or hoarded rice stocks. He also stated that the Committee approved measures under the Sri Lanka–Singapore FTA to phase down the Ports and Airports Development Levy over five years, in line with the Government’s stated position. Committee Report: Regulations under Imports and Exports (Control) Act, No. 1 of 1969 Public FinanceAgricultureCost of Living Read →
  • 21 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva expressed support for efforts to reduce littering, noting that public behaviour had improved compared to the past. He said they were willing to assist fully and urged that the programme be implemented properly. Adjournment Debate: Clean Sri Lanka Programme Environment Read →
  • 21 January 2025 AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva urged the Government to define “Clean Sri Lanka” as including action against corruption and called for implementation of the Committee on Public Finance’s 665-page report, including investigation of the visa issue. He said Opposition members had also avoided privileges and used unpaid volunteers in initiatives such as 1990 Suwaseriya, and expressed willingness to cooperate if the programme is properly implemented. He questioned the Government’s handling of electricity tariffs, alleging misleading claims about CEB losses despite large profits, and said PUCSL consultation showed greater tariff reductions were possible. He also called for transparent regulation of petroleum and water pricing through the PUCSL, with proper consultations to identify and correct errors. Adjournment Debate: Clean Sri Lanka Programme InfrastructureCorruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
  • 21 January 2025 AI summary Asked whether any individual had been remanded in connection with the matter under discussion. Adjournment Debate: Clean Sri Lanka Programme Justice & Human Rights Read →
  • 21 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva expressed support for the “Clean Sri Lanka” concept, including its environmental, social and moral objectives, while noting that the public currently perceives it mainly as an environmental cleanup and enforcement action affecting three-wheelers and buses. He questioned the Minister of Justice on whether a reported remand connected to the VFS transaction was accurate and whether it was carried out under the Clean Sri Lanka initiative. Adjournment Debate: Clean Sri Lanka Programme Corruption & Governance ReformEnvironment Read →
  • 21 January 2025 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva sought confirmation from the Chair that his remaining speaking time was still eight minutes. Adjournment Debate: Clean Sri Lanka Programme Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 9 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva objected to a reduction in his speaking time, stating that it was unfair to cut an allotted twelve minutes down to four minutes. Special Commodity Levy Act: Orders and Related Motions Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 9 January 2025 AI summary Under Standing Order 31, Harsha de Silva raised a point of order alleging a discrepancy between the Minister of Energy’s statement that the CEB had no large profit and figures in the Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report 2024 showing CEB profits of Rs. 119 billion by 30 June and Rs. 139 billion by October. He argued that either the Minister or the House had been misled, tabled procedural references on misleading Parliament, and requested correction of any error or treatment as a privilege matter if deliberate, with the relevant material recorded in Hansard. Oral Questions Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
  • 9 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva presented the Committee on Public Finance report approving regulations under the Sri Lanka Export Development Act, Special Commodity Levy Act, Strategic Development Projects Act, and the Aswesuma welfare benefits scheme. He noted that the Committee approved reduced export cess rates while directing the Finance Ministry and EDB to ensure cess funds support export promotion, and approved increased Aswesuma payments up to Rs. 10,000 and Rs. 17,500 for relevant beneficiary groups. The Committee approved the West Container Terminal project under the SDP Act, deferred the Jay Jay Textiles Lanka project pending further analysis, and approved the Government’s decision to continue the existing Special Commodity Levy structure on selected imported food items despite earlier plans to replace it with VAT. Opening and Announcements Public Finance Read →
  • 8 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva tabled the Committee on Public Finance report on instruments under the Foreign Exchange Act, Payment and Settlement Systems Act, Casino Business (Regulation) Act, and Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act. He noted approval of the continued USD 500,000 annual outward investment limit, registration requirements for hawala and hundiyal operators, and Port City engineering regulations, while calling for an urgent timetable to establish a Casino Regulator. He also highlighted unresolved Government concurrence on implementing Sri Lanka–Singapore FTA commitments to phase out the Port and Airport Levy on certain tariff lines, and said the Government must report its position expeditiously to the Committee. Papers Presented Foreign AffairsPublic Finance Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that if farmers or vulnerable individuals were misled by promises or narratives presented to them, it raises ethical and moral concerns. He emphasized that data represents real household experiences and that political narratives presented to the public must be implemented rather than merely used for persuasion. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Corruption & Governance Reform Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva stated that the Opposition is prepared to cooperate with the Government but insisted that it must fulfil the commitments it made. He questioned whether the public had been misled for electoral gain and framed this as a matter of accountability for government promises. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Corruption & Governance Reform Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva questioned how the Government can use forecasting models based on past policy when it has described previous economic policy as destructive, and asked for a clear new work programme to sustain growth and achieve the stated USD 120 billion GDP target by 2030. He challenged the Government’s tax policy changes, noting that promises to raise the personal tax-free threshold to Rs. 2.4 million had been revised and that the increase in withholding tax from 5 per cent to 10 per cent was not in the policy statement. He argued that abolishing tax files could weaken collection from secondary incomes, and referred to his party’s proposals on modest income tax, refund interest, and VAT banding. He also called for the Budget to reflect Government promises to zero-rate VAT on school supplies, food, baby formula, pharmaceuticals and other essential items. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report HealthcarePublic FinanceEmployment Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva objected to the intervention being treated as a point of order, stating that parliamentary decorum requires adherence to established procedure. He said the member was merely attempting to explain his position rather than raising a valid procedural point. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva objected to interruptions during his allotted speaking time and insisted on maintaining parliamentary decorum. He stated that he was not yielding the floor and that the Minister should wait until he had finished speaking. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva clarified that his intervention was not a point of order. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva said the Opposition supports economic stabilization but argued that the Government failed to recognize working people during the domestic debt optimization affecting EPF members and domestic savers. He proposed adding a clawback mechanism to domestic debt arrangements, similar to provisions in external and bilateral restructuring, so domestic creditors could benefit if economic conditions improve. He also challenged the Motion’s criticism of the post-1977 open economy, arguing that past growth figures and the Government’s own forecasting methods indicate the collapse was due more to policy errors, governance failures, fiscal indiscipline and credibility shocks than openness itself. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report EmploymentCorruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva noted that, since the scheduled lunch half-hour had been allocated for the debate, he would be able to use his full 18 minutes of speaking time. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →