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- 7 April 2026 AI summary Dr. Harsha de Silva sought permission from the Presiding Member to raise a brief clarification. Debate: Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill and Related Orders - Continuation (Post-Lunch) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva said the Committee on Public Finance had repeatedly sought a clear definition of “strategic” in the relevant policy or proposal. He questioned whether the prioritisation criteria were based on technology or other considerations, noting that the current presentation appeared to rely only on investment size and labour. Debate: Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill and Related Orders - Continuation (Post-Lunch) Public Finance Read →
- 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva briefly sought permission from the Minister to intervene during the debate. No substantive policy point, proposal, or question was presented in the excerpt provided. Debate: Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill and Related Orders - Continuation (Post-Lunch) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 7 April 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva questioned findings in an audit report on coal procurement, linking them to a similar 2022 issue investigated by the Committee on Public Finance and arguing that bypassing supplier qualification requirements can impose major costs on the public. He said higher generation costs feed into electricity tariffs under cost-reflective pricing and reiterated support for targeted relief to vulnerable groups. He asked the Government to explain how announced electricity, fuel and Aswesuma relief—estimated by him at Rs. 80–90 billion and largely time-limited—would be financed, including what expenditure would be cut or reclassified, and whether inflationary pressures could realistically ease within the relief period. Debate: Social Security Contribution Levy (Amendment) Bill and Related Orders - Continuation (Post-Lunch) Corruption & Governance ReformPublic FinanceCost of Living Read →
- 17 March 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva asked when the Government would fulfil its promise to align CIABOC salaries, noting that salaries in other institutions had been increased while CIABOC’s had not. Debate: Approval of Remuneration and Service Conditions of CIABOC Officers and Employees Employment Read →
- 17 March 2026 AI summary As Chair of the Committee on Public Finance, Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva raised the unresolved issue of salary parity for the CIABOC Chair and Commission members, noting that although it was accepted in 2023 that their salaries should be comparable to those of the President of the Court of Appeal, subsequent judicial salary increases had not been reflected for CIABOC. He stated that the matter requires parliamentary action rather than action by the Ministry of Finance, and asked whether the Government would honour the 2023 undertaking. Debate: Approval of Remuneration and Service Conditions of CIABOC Officers and Employees Justice & Human RightsPublic Finance Read →
- 17 March 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva presented the Committee on Public Finance report on regulations under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act and remuneration matters under the Anti-Corruption Act. He stated that the Committee found property developers had advertised Port City apartments without required parliamentary approval and directed that such advertisements stop, emphasizing that the Commission cannot exercise powers reserved for Parliament. He also noted unresolved concerns over remuneration for the CIABOC Chairperson, Commissioners and senior officers, including the unfulfilled undertaking to align salaries with Court of Appeal judges and disparities with Attorney-General’s Department legal officers, and said an amendment was requested to address this. Committee Reports and Petitions Corruption & Governance ReformPublic Finance Read →
- 3 March 2026 AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva presented the Committee on Public Finance report on an Order under Section 22 of the Foreign Exchange Act, No. 12 of 2017. He then questioned why regulations made under the Colombo Port City Economic Commission Act had been tabled without being referred to the Committee on Public Finance, arguing that finance-related Port City regulations have consistently been examined by that Committee and should not be sent only to a Ministerial Consultative Committee. Papers: Regulations, Reports and Orders Tabled Public FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
- 20 February 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva corrected the record on the IMF governance assessment, stating that it was requested by the former President, not the current Government. He tabled the Special Audit Report on 2022–2025 coal procurement for Norochcholai and the related COPF Report, noting that COPF findings had led to halting an allegedly unlawful tender and recommending restrictions on Tender Board members. He emphasized that the procurement suitability criteria, including prior experience supplying at least one million tonnes of specified-quality coal, were set out in the audit report and became binding after the COPF Report was tabled and adopted by Parliament on 4 October 2022. Adjournment Motion: Issues Relating to the Power Sector (Coal Procurement for Norochcholai) Public FinanceCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
- 19 February 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that parliamentary Standing Orders cannot supersede or override the Constitution. He emphasized the constitutional hierarchy in the context of parliamentary procedure, asserting that any procedural rule must operate subject to constitutional provisions. Procedural: Points of Order on Standing Orders and Bill Presentation Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 19 February 2026 AI summary Under Standing Order 92, Dr. Harsha de Silva, as Chair of the Committee on Public Finance, raised a procedural point regarding a complex ten-part question from Hon. Ravi Karunanayake on public debt. He argued that the Minister should be given adequate time to respond and that the Chair does not have authority under the Standing Orders to restrict the scope of the answer. Procedural: Points of Order on Standing Orders and Bill Presentation Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 19 February 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva rose on a point of order. Procedural: Points of Order on Standing Orders and Bill Presentation Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 19 February 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva began to address the House by referring to Hon. Bimal Rathnayake, but the provided excerpt contains no substantive remarks, argument, proposal, or question to summarize. Statement and Procedural: Legal Basis of Financial Bankruptcy Declaration and Standing Order Debate Parliamentary Procedure Read →
- 18 February 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva criticised the Government’s continued use of Special Commodity Levies on 62 essential foods, arguing that they should apply only during harvest periods and that current policy raises consumer prices contrary to election pledges on VAT and tax relief. He questioned the Government’s consistency on agricultural support, citing stalled cold storage facilities, taxes on agricultural equipment, and wider para-tariffs affecting housing materials. He also demanded action on governance commitments linked to the IMF programme, including a clear position on the IVS–VFS e-visa issue and the delayed Procurement Law, while alleging unequal enforcement in corruption-related cases. Debate: Special Commodity Levy Act and Related Orders (Main Business) Cost of LivingAgricultureCorruption & Governance Reform Read →
- 17 February 2026 AI summary The report of the Committee on Public Finance was presented on regulations under the Special Commodity Levy Act, import duty proposals under the Customs Ordinance, and the Microfinance and Credit Regulatory Authority Bill. Dr. Harsha de Silva stated that the Committee approved the Bill subject to ensuring women’s representation on the Authority, noting that the redrafted Bill now brings previously unregulated micro-borrower groups and relevant institutions under a dual regulatory framework. He also welcomed the IMF Managing Director’s visit, acknowledged IMF support during Sri Lanka’s crisis, and requested continued engagement with greater emphasis on governance issues alongside financial reforms. Papers: Annual Reports and Committee Reports Women & ChildrenPublic Finance Read →
- 23 January 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva urged the Prime Minister to incorporate FUTA’s proposed safeguards on university governance, including eligibility criteria for Deans, clarification of term limits, due process for removing Deans and Heads, and mandatory departmental consultation for cross-department appointments. He said these changes were intended to protect university autonomy, prevent politicized appointments, and preserve internal democratic practices. He also commended the Prime Minister’s representation of Sri Lanka at Davos. Debate: Universities (Amendment) Bill - Second and Third Reading Education Read →
- 21 January 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva questioned whether the “Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund” for post-Michaung resettlement and infrastructure restoration had been legally established, despite government communications stating it was under the Presidential Secretariat. He asked the Government to table the legal instrument creating the Fund, arguing that public funds require statutory authority, parliamentary approval, and auditability. He further raised concerns about monies being directed to a Deputy Secretary to the Treasury account and called for the Fund to be properly constituted and submitted for audit. Adjournment Debate: Post-Cyclone "Ditwah" Situation (Part 2) Corruption & Governance ReformPublic FinanceParliamentary Procedure Read →
- 20 January 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva stated that bank funds belong to the people rather than the Government. He noted that the Government had spent Rs. 27 billion on the relevant Department, with Rs. 22 billion allocated to salaries. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Public Finance Read →
- 20 January 2026 AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Harsha de Silva argued that limited public funds should be directed toward priorities such as English education, teacher training, and technology. He urged that the private sector not be displaced in areas where it can provide services, and that public spending focus on public goods. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme EducationPublic Finance Read →
- 20 January 2026 AI summary Hon. Harsha de Silva supported extending Aswesuma payments but argued that the programme, originally introduced as a temporary crisis-response measure, should not continue without correcting serious targeting errors identified in research tabled in Parliament. He urged the Government to revise and properly weight eligibility indicators, pilot the revised system with at least 3,000 households before a national rollout, and conduct an independent evaluation of the Samurdhi Development Department’s spending and value for money. He also called for the immediate appointment of an Auditor-General, raised concerns about the proposed “Praja Shakthi” structure, and linked poverty policy to broader needs in education reform, teacher training, technology investment, and preparing for AI-related labour market changes. Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme Public FinanceCost of LivingCorruption & Governance Reform Read →