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Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney at Law, M.P.

Jathika Jana balawegaya (JJB)· Colombo

Minister of Justice and National Integration

Profession: Attorney-at-Law

Roster profile ↗
Speeches 338 #12 of 225·#6 in party
Attendance 8/8 days present (of recorded)
Top topic Parliamentary Procedure 179 speeches
Last spoke 9 June 2026 in Debate

Activity by sitting

96 sittings · counts only, no scoring.

Topic focus

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

Speech history

338 speeches
  • 21 January 2026 AI summary The Minister of Justice and National Integration stated that a Cabinet Memorandum to establish a consultative mechanism to regularize sentencing was submitted on 14 May 2025 and approved on 2 June 2025, with the Committee first meeting on 18 July 2025. He listed the Committee’s members, including representatives from the judiciary, Parliament, Attorney-General’s Department, academia, police, medical services, and the Ministry. He said the Committee is still functioning and has not yet submitted recommendations, so related follow-up matters do not arise. Oral Question No. 2 (812/2025) - Prison overcrowding Justice & Human Rights Read →
  • 20 January 2026 AI summary Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara stated that the large remand population, including around 27,000 remandees, cannot undergo rehabilitation while on remand. He said rehabilitation work is being coordinated with the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board, and the Justice Ministry’s Rehabilitation Division has been gazetted under the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to prevent duplication and pool resources. He added that intensified drug prevention efforts are producing about 700 arrests daily, with many persons directed to voluntary rehabilitation centres, and that combined ministerial allocations will be supplemented if necessary under the President’s direction. Oral Question: Dumbara Prison Overcrowding (Q.21/2026) Law & OrderJustice & Human Rights Read →
  • 20 January 2026 AI summary Community-based corrections placed about 17,000 offenders under supervision without custodial sentences last year, and the Ministry plans to expand this programme. The Minister said NGOs and voluntary groups assist those unable to pay fines, but emphasized that prison overcrowding is driven mainly by remandees rather than fine defaulters. He stated that Government Analyst report delays are being addressed through Public Service Commission-approved recruitment of 50 analysts, with 32 more to follow, aiming to issue reports within about three months to support bail decisions. Oral Question: Dumbara Prison Overcrowding (Q.21/2026) Justice & Human RightsPublic Finance Read →
  • 20 January 2026 AI summary As of 4 January 2026, Dumbara Prison held 2,246 inmates, including 699 remand prisoners, against a broader prison system facing overcrowding above 300 per cent. The Minister stated that the new Dumbara Prison project, replacing the former Bogambara Prison and Kandy Remand Prison, is planned for 400 female and 2,500 male inmates with 102 official quarters, at a revised cost of Rs. 4,360 million, and that completed works currently allow accommodation of 2,139 inmates. He said further construction will depend on annual allocations, while measures including referring drug dependents to rehabilitation camps and using selected government buildings for temporary inmate accommodation are being arranged to ease overcrowding. Oral Question: Dumbara Prison Overcrowding (Q.21/2026) Public FinanceInfrastructureJustice & Human Rights Read →
  • 8 January 2026 AI summary The Minister of Justice and National Integration responded to a matter raised by Hon. Ajith P. Perera, explaining that a previously scheduled sitting could not proceed because many Members were unable to attend due to short notice. He stated that it has been rescheduled for the current Session and that the House will be informed of the plan and timetable. Standing Order 27(2) Questions and Ministerial Statements Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 6 January 2026 AI summary The Minister stated that the former judges’ official residence in Panadura has been unused since around 2019 and is now unusable, and that action is under way to use it for establishing the Civil Appeal High Court in Panadura. He said a new official residence for two Magistrates is being constructed on the remaining land, with expenditure so far of Rs. 18,045,206.41, after the project was halted during the economic crisis and later recommenced. He explained that judges’ housing needs are met through government residences, leased private houses or residence allowances, and noted that Panadura judges currently receive allowances while the previous residence land has been transferred to the Urban Development Authority. Questions and Papers (Resumption after Adjournment) Justice & Human RightsPublic Finance Read →
  • 6 January 2026 AI summary The Minister of Justice and National Integration stated that no formal record was available on sentencing policy implementation, though the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute indicated that judges currently follow aspects of sentencing policy and guidelines reflected in Superior Court judgments. He said a 2023 committee chaired by a Supreme Court judge to formulate sentencing guidelines became inactive after the chair’s retirement and produced no report. The Ministry has decided to appoint a new committee, with former and/or new members, and nominations are being prepared. Questions and Papers (Resumption after Adjournment) Justice & Human Rights Read →
  • 19 December 2025 AI summary Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara clarified a point of legal terminology, stating that Sri Lanka does not recognize a title of “Senior Attorney” for private practitioners. He noted that comparable titles apply only to officers of the Attorney-General’s Department and said the clarification was made for the House’s understanding. Ministerial Statements and Points of Order Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 18 December 2025 AI summary The Minister of Justice and National Integration presented the 2024 Performance Report of the Government Analyst’s Department. He moved that the report be referred to the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection, and the motion was agreed to. Papers Tabled: Reports, Supplementary Estimate, Regulations, Orders and Performance Reports Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 5 December 2025 AI summary The Minister stated that the Supreme Court’s judgment of 24 July 2025 held the owner, operators and local agent of the X-Press Pearl jointly and severally liable for environmental damage, ordering USD 1 billion in interim compensation to be paid to the Treasury, of which about USD 1 million has been paid by the local agent. He said the Court has appointed independent experts to the Compensation Commission and the Marine and Coastal Environment Restoration and Protection Committee, and directed the Attorney General to take steps to secure compliance and report by 25 January 2026. He also outlined related compensation litigation in Singapore, which has been stayed due to limitation proceedings in London, where Sri Lanka’s application to set aside a general limitation order remains pending. Ministerial Statements - X-Press Pearl Vessel Liability Case Justice & Human RightsEnvironment Read →
  • 28 November 2025 AI summary Minister Harshana Nanayakkara confirmed the incident in Anuradhapura raised by Hon. Ajith P. Perera, stating that a bus with about 70 people aboard had proceeded despite prior instructions from the Senior DIG and was now stuck. He informed Parliament that two Army units were engaged at the location and that, according to Minister Wasantha Samarasinghe, helicopters were being arranged for the response. Motions at Commencement of Public Business - Emergency Response Coordination Security & DefenceLaw & Order Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary Moved approval of the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute Annual Report for 2023, prepared under Section 10(b) of the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute Act, No. 46 of 1985, together with the Auditor General’s observations. He noted that the report had been considered by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Public Administration, Justice and Civil Security and subsequently presented to Parliament; the motion was agreed to. Papers - Annual Reports of Foreign Employment and Judges' Institute Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary Moved approval of the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute Annual Report for 2022, presented under Section 10(b) of the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute Act, No. 46 of 1985, together with the Auditor General’s observations. He noted that the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Public Administration, Justice and Civil Security had considered the report on 20 May 2025 and presented its report to Parliament on 9 July 2025; the motion was agreed to. Papers - Annual Reports of Foreign Employment and Judges' Institute Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary The Committee reported progress and obtained leave to sit again. Proceedings in Committee were adjourned at 6.57 p.m., with the Committee scheduled to resume on Tuesday, 18th November 2025. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary The Minister moved a Committee Stage amendment under Head 232 to revise Programme 01 – Operational Activities by setting recurrent expenditure at Rs. 18,760,800,000 and capital expenditure at Rs. 5,627,000,000. The amendment increased capital provision by Rs. 2,000,000,000 under Budget Proposal No. 47 for the Department of Prisons, and the recurrent expenditure allocation was agreed to and ordered to stand part of the Schedule. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary Moved a Committee Stage amendment under Head 110, Programme 01, to revise the Ministry of Justice and National Integration’s operational allocations to Rs. 4,500,710,000 recurrent and Rs. 5,681,000,000 capital. The amendment reflects the transfer of allocations related to the Office for Reparations, under Gazette Extraordinary No. 2458/65 of 18 October 2025, amounting to Rs. 879,590,000 recurrent and Rs. 343,000,000 capital, to Head 189 under the Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Public Finance Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary Moved amendments to the Appropriation Bill 2026 at Committee Stage under the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, on behalf of the Minister of Finance. The proposed revisions set the Ministry’s allocations at Rs. 42,120,410,000 for recurrent expenditure and Rs. 17,157,000,000 for capital expenditure. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Parliamentary Procedure Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary The Minister defended the independence and legality of decisions by the Judicial Service Commission and Chief Justice, stating that removals or interdictions of judicial officers followed due process and could be challenged in court rather than through parliamentary allegations. He addressed operational issues in the courts, noting that photocopier hiring arrangements had been approved, requests for new courts would be referred to the JSC, and baseless fundamental rights applications should not burden the judiciary. He also explained delays in capital expenditure due to the Vote on Account, holidays, staffing gaps and procurement compliance, projecting 70–75 percent execution by year-end, and said recruitment to fill court vacancies was progressing despite constraints on new buildings. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Corruption & Governance ReformJustice & Human RightsLaw & Order Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary Harshana Nanayakkara clarified that he had not accused the Member of wrongdoing but was explaining the legal position on investigations. He stated that the Attorney General’s permission is not required for the CID to investigate, although legal advice may be sought if needed, and criticized media narratives suggesting conflict between the CID and the Attorney General. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Justice & Human Rights Read →
  • 17 November 2025 AI summary Harshana Nanayakkara clarified that the CID does not need prior permission from the Attorney General to conduct the investigation in question. He stated that the CID may proceed independently and seek the Attorney General’s advice only if necessary. Debate - Appropriation Bill 2026 Committee Stage Continuation (Foreign Affairs, Justice and National Integration) Justice & Human Rights Read →