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
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva asked for clarification on the time at which he was required to conclude his speech. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva seeks clarification from the Chair on the speaking time available to him, asking whether he has 18 minutes and may speak until 12.15 p.m. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva briefly objected to an interruption or request directed at him, stating that the matter should be handled by the other side. He also noted that he had not disturbed the House earlier. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva only notes to the Deputy Speaker that he has 18 minutes to speak. No substantive policy argument, proposal, or question is made in the excerpt provided. Adjournment Debate: 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 7 January 2025 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva presented the Committee on Public Finance report on the 2024 Mid-Year Fiscal Position Report, noting increases in revenue, expenditure, tax and non-tax revenue, and the primary balance, along with a reduction in arrears, and stated that the Committee concurred with the report. He informed Parliament that the National Audit Office’s 2025 Work Programme had been approved subject to conditions due to the dissolution of Parliament delaying consideration, with amendments to be discussed and submitted. He also requested urgent provision of dedicated technical officers for the Committee and called for the early establishment of the Parliamentary Budget Office, with interim technical support potentially arranged through development partners such as UNDP. Committee Report: Public Finance Committee on Mid-Year Fiscal Position Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
  • 18 December 2024 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva welcomed the President’s call for parliamentary support and emphasized that, under Article 148 of the Constitution, Parliament has full control over public finance. He thanked the Leader of the Opposition and Members for supporting his nomination to the Committee on Public Finance, noting that the Committee will consider necessary legal changes. He pledged cross-party cooperation to support national development under a new political culture. Procedural Matters and Points of Order Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva questioned reports that an MoU or agreement had been signed, emphasizing that under Article 148 of the Constitution Parliament has full control over public finance. He argued that no binding financial agreement can be entered into on behalf of the country without parliamentary process, and requested that the relevant document be tabled for scrutiny. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva questioned the Leader of the House during an Adjournment Motion debate about the status of the International Sovereign Bond agreement. He noted that the bond exchange was scheduled for 20 December and that a notice had been issued that day after a 12 December deadline, and requested that the signed document be tabled if the agreement had already been signed. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Public Finance Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva raised a point of order in response to references to him, clarifying that his tweet on the ISB deal was conditional and intended to question whether the Government would abandon its promised alternative debt sustainability analysis. He urged the Government to present and implement its alternatives on debt restructuring and industrial policy if it has them, rather than changing course after assuming office. He also rejected the characterization of his party as neoliberal, referred to its social market economy approach and past advocacy on the EPF, and proposed that any MLB or clawback benefit be extended to the EPF within the existing DSA framework. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva questioned the Government’s consistency on policy positions, citing reported agreements on petroleum pipeline and HVDC grid connectivity with India after earlier NPP opposition, and its acceptance of the IMF programme after previously criticizing it. He urged the Government to be transparent with the public about its intentions, including on industrial policy and SOE reforms, and argued that industrial development requires openness to the world. He also tabled his party’s proposal, annexes, and a Government disclosure made to international markets that he said had not been tabled in Parliament. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Foreign AffairsPublic Finance Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva questioned the Government’s expected GDP growth and argued that if nominal GDP reaches the levels implied in released data, external creditors’ effective haircut could fall significantly through state-contingent recoveries. He criticized the Government for previously claiming it could change the IMF debt sustainability framework while now accepting it, which he said the Opposition had also recognized as unavoidable. On behalf of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, he tabled a proposal to add a state-contingent clawback instrument to Treasury bonds exchanged with the Employees’ Provident Fund under the Domestic Debt Optimization programme, so EPF members could benefit if the economy performs better, similar to external creditors. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Public FinanceEmployment Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva questioned the Government’s claims on the economy and the restructuring of International Sovereign Bonds, arguing that the high creditor acceptance rate indicated the deal was highly favourable to bondholders. He tabled documents he said the Finance Ministry had released externally but not to Parliament, and criticized the Government for failing to present them. He said the stated 27 per cent haircut could reduce significantly under the macro-linked bond mechanism if USD GDP exceeds IMF baseline levels, while interest rates would rise from 2028 to 2038. He asked the Acting Finance Minister to state the Government’s expected GDP for 2024. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Public FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva seconded the motion moved by the Leader of the Opposition and sought leave of the House to speak after the Government side. Adjournment Debate: International Sovereign Bond Restructuring and IMF Agreement Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 December 2024 AI summary Raising a point of order, Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva objected to the Deputy Minister’s statement that the Government “may” provide information on the debt restructuring agreement. He said that, following an international announcement that Sri Lanka had agreed to the restructuring and that a new debt exchange would take place on 20 December, the Government must inform Parliament of the terms agreed with bondholders. Oral Question: IMF Delegation Expenses in Washington DC (Q.96/2024) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva corrected the record regarding Sri Lanka’s IMF Agreement, stating that it was not signed by Basil Rajapaksa. He said the agreement was signed by Ranil Wickremesinghe and Central Bank Governor Nandalal Weerasinghe on 6 March 2023. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Public FinanceForeign Affairs Read →
  • 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva rose on a Point of Order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question is included in the provided excerpt. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva notes that President Ranil Wickremesinghe voluntarily brought the IMF Agreement to Parliament for a vote despite no legal requirement to do so. He urges the current government to likewise present and defend its position on the agreement before Parliament, even if formal parliamentary approval is not legally necessary. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Public Finance Read →
  • 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva raised a technical point of order seeking clarification on the meaning of the phrase “in principle,” as used in relation to “agreements in principle.” Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that the cooperative movement failed due to politicization, citing alleged political appointments and malpractice under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa that led to audits and halted operations. He urged that cooperatives be kept depoliticized, referencing successful models in New Zealand, the US, and the “Shakthi” cooperative, and said his side was ready to share proposals to stabilize rice prices while ensuring fair farmer incomes. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Corruption & Governance ReformAgriculture Read →
  • 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva argued that the rice shortage and price issue cannot be resolved through Gazettes, enforcement, or imports alone, which he said provide only temporary relief and disadvantage small millers while benefiting larger market players. He cited the 2018-2019 “Shakthi Sahal” cooperative model, involving SME millers and farmers, as having helped stabilise rice prices and increase competition. He requested the Government to relaunch the initiative, or a similar programme under another name, and offered support through a committee to address the issue collaboratively. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Cost of LivingAgriculture Read →