Sitting of Monday, 17 March 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 1745486934006324 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
Order of business
Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.
- 1 Opening Speaker's Announcements and Ministerial Special Mentions 3 speeches
- 2 Committee report Ministerial Consultative Committee Reports 1 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions Presentation 3 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Answers to Questions (Q.504/2025, Q.510/2025, Q.483/2025, Q.493/2025) 16 speeches
- 5 Procedural Sectoral Oversight Committees Appointment Motion 2 speeches
- 6 Debate Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Debate on Ministry of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs and Ministry of Environment 103 speeches
- 7 Procedural Appropriation Bill 2025 - Committee Stage Amendments 8 speeches
- 8 Procedural Galle Heritage Foundation Annual Report Motion 1 speeches
- 9 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Necessity of Drafting a New Constitution 11 speeches
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Ajith P. Perera SJB
AI summary Hon. Ajith P. Perera urged the Government to act swiftly on its election pledge to introduce a new Constitution abolishing the Executive Presidency, restoring a parliamentary system, and creating a new electoral system subject to referendum. He said the Opposition supports the process and argued that the Government’s parliamentary strength and broad public mandate make the present moment suitable, but criticized the absence of a road map, funding, expert committee, or official response from the President or Ministers. He proposed establishing an all-party Constitutional Drafting Assembly, appointing constitutional law experts, allocating necessary resources, and completing drafting and adoption within one year.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Attorney-at-Law SJB
AI summary Dayasiri Jayasekara seconded the adjournment motion and urged the Government to act quickly on constitutional reform, including abolition of the Executive Presidency, using the 2015–2019 reform process as a basis and with Opposition cooperation. He argued that reforms should be pursued through Parliament with broad consultation, including on devolution, power-sharing and national consensus. He also questioned the validity of the Fourteenth Amendment provisions on National List appointments, alleging procedural defects and objecting to defeated candidates entering Parliament through the National List, and called for a special committee with experts to correct these issues and strengthen a Parliament-accountable system.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law - Deputy Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Sunil Watagala argued that the current three-month-old Government is restoring accountability after decades in which the Executive Presidency dominated Parliament, the Cabinet and the judiciary. He cited recent Court of Appeal proceedings directing action against former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon as evidence of judicial independence without executive interference. He said the Government would fulfil its policy commitments, including reforms related to the Executive Presidency, but according to its own timetable rather than the Opposition’s demands.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. (Ms.) Lakmali Hemachandra, Attorney-at-Law JJB
AI summary Hon. Lakmali Hemachandra argued that the 1978 Constitution and the Executive Presidency have long weakened democratic institutions, while previous governments that promised abolition failed to act. She said the National People’s Power Government remains committed to introducing a new Constitution, drawing on the 2015–2019 process and fulfilling its mandate, including reforms to the Executive Presidency. She rejected the Opposition’s call for urgent committees or immediate action, stating that the Government will proceed on its own timeline after ongoing electoral processes and Provincial Council elections.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural
- The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB
AI summary Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said the Government remains committed to abolishing the Executive Presidency and introducing a new Constitution, but will do so according to its five-year mandate and planned sequence rather than an Opposition timetable. He stated that the Government’s immediate priorities are economic stabilization, reducing waste and corruption, pursuing accountability for alleged fraud and corruption, and holding Local Government and then Provincial Council elections. He added that constitutional reform would resume from earlier drafting work and proceed after those steps, while inviting the Opposition to submit proposals.
- The Hon. Presiding Member procedural