Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva, M.P.
Profession: Economist
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- 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva questioned whether the Government would implement its stated tax commitments in the 2025 Budget, including zero tax for monthly incomes between Rs. 100,000 and Rs. 200,000, no VAT on food, and positions on digital services, IT services, vehicle import levies, and fuel and electricity pricing formulas. He said the Opposition would give the Government time but sought a specific response on rice, noting public expectations from the new Parliament’s mandate. He highlighted rising rice prices above gazetted controlled prices, shortages in retail outlets, and the Government’s shift from pledging not to import rice to gazetting permission for imports until 20 December, reportedly up to about 300,000 metric tons. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Cost of LivingPublic FinanceAgriculture Read →
- 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva noted that he had been allotted 20 minutes to speak and indicated that he would require a little additional time. 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 noted that he had been allocated 20 minutes to speak. No substantive policy argument or proposal was made in this 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 questioned the Government’s presentation of the Rs. 3.275 trillion item related to international sovereign bond restructuring, arguing that the stated 27 percent nominal haircut could effectively fall to about 14.96 percent under the GDP-linked mechanism. He said the Government had not defended the EPF in domestic debt restructuring and challenged ministers to table any signed debt agreement, noting that the deadline for agreement was still pending. He criticized prior JVP/NPP claims about “stolen” or “odious” debt, alleged missing borrowed funds, and promises of forensic audits or an alternative debt sustainability analysis, arguing that these claims conflicted with the Government’s current acceptance of repayment obligations and the IMF-linked restructuring process. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Public FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
- 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva said the Vote on Account should be viewed as an interim authorization under the Public Finance Management Act, aligned with the 2024 Budget and IMF programme, rather than as the Government’s full policy agenda for 2025. He noted the Government was seeking Rs. 1,403 billion in primary expenditure, Rs. 4,172 billion for debt service and restructuring, and Rs. 4,000 billion in borrowing authority, implying expected revenue of about Rs. 1,600 billion for the first four months. While reiterating support for continuing with the IMF programme, he said concerns remain about some conditions and social justice, and indicated that the key issue he wished to examine was the borrowing requirement for debt restructuring. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
- 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva acknowledged the “Orange the World” campaign and cited UN data on violence against women in Sri Lanka, urging sustained action against gender-based violence, particularly by men. He thanked Colombo District voters for electing him and said he would work responsibly beyond partisan politics. He also congratulated President Anura Dissanayake and other former parliamentary colleagues now holding responsibilities in government, wishing them well. Debate on Vote on Account for Ministry of Public Administration and Related Matters Women & Children Read →
- 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva asked when the Committee on Public Finance would be established, referring to the Prime Minister’s mention of a report being presented to that Committee. Papers Presented Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 6 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva rose on a point of Order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question is recorded in the provided extract. Papers Presented Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 5 December 2024 AI summary Former Committee on Public Finance Chair Harsha de Silva said the proposed framework had been extensively discussed with officials and the Attorney-General in the previous Parliament to address the lack of a legal basis for earlier Votes on Account. He argued there was now no legal issue, though there may be an ethical concern, and suggested that the mover should have clarified to the House that time constraints prevented a full Appropriation Bill and sought its indulgence. Debate on Vote on Account and Procedural Matters (with Chair exchanges and points of order) Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
- 5 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva asked for the date of the relevant Audit Report and sought clarification on whether it was presented before or after the Committee on Public Finance report tabled on 12 June 2024. He indicated that the timing was necessary to understand the context of the Committee’s prior examination of the matter. Papers: Auditor-General's Reports and Special Audit Report Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
- 4 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva clarified that Standing Order 33 permits only two supplementary questions during Question Time in response to answers given under Standing Order 32. He argued that it cannot be used to question a Member and described such use as procedurally incorrect. Debate: Government Policy Statement - Resumed Adjourned Debate Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 3 December 2024 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva referred to past instances where parliamentary procedure was bypassed, including after the 2018 constitutional crisis, during the 2019 presidential nomination period, and under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s tax cuts, which he linked to the economic collapse. He urged the Government not to routinely use its two-thirds majority to suspend Standing Orders and requested more time for the Opposition to study and debate the Vote on Account, including debt servicing provisions and implications of the IMF agreement. Debate: President's Policy Statement Parliamentary ProcedurePublic Finance Read →
- 3 December 2024 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva raised a point of order seeking clarification from Hon. Bimal Rathnayake on the proposed use of “Ministry Advisory Committees” in place of “Sectoral Oversight Committees.” He asked whether the change would alter the committees’ mandate or was merely a change in terminology. Procedural: Points of Order and Standing Orders Clarifications (Vote on Account, Ministry Advisory Committees, Party Leaders' Agreement) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 3 December 2024 AI summary Agreement had been reached, but parliamentary procedures for conducting business must still be followed. He cautioned that past departures from proper procedure should not be treated as precedent or justification for repeating them. Procedural: Points of Order and Standing Orders Clarifications (Vote on Account, Ministry Advisory Committees, Party Leaders' Agreement) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 3 December 2024 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva cautioned the Speaker against allowing a Vote on Account or similar fiscal measure to bypass the Committee on Public Finance, arguing that such instances had occurred only in exceptional or controversial circumstances. He cited precedents from the October 2018 constitutional crisis, the period before the 2019 election, and under President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and urged that the practice not be normalized. Procedural: Points of Order and Standing Orders Clarifications (Vote on Account, Ministry Advisory Committees, Party Leaders' Agreement) Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →