Sitting of Wednesday, 22 October 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 22638 ·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 Parliament Opening and Stage Play Announcement 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Presentation of Reports and Petitions 7 speeches
- 3 Oral question Oral Question: Ceylon Electricity Board Restructuring (Q.1/2025) 7 speeches
- 4 Oral question Oral Question: Investigations into Assassinations, Abductions or Assaults of Journalists Since 2010 (Q.2/2025) 7 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Post of Public Health Midwife - Vacancies (Q.3/2025) 9 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Warehouses of Paddy Marketing Board in Ampara District (Q.8/2025) 8 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: 100,000 Kilometres Alternative Roads Programme in Kalutara District (Q.9/2025) 5 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: Fish Death in Beira Lake (Q.10/2025) 2 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Oil Palm Cultivation and Imports (Q.11/2025) 2 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Q.7/2025 - Deferred Answer 3 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question: Mannar Water Supply Project (Standing Order 27(2)) 5 speeches
- 12 Papers Ministerial Statements: Poverty Alleviation and Industry Development 7 speeches
- 13 Debate Ministerial Statement and Debate: Power Generation Policy (Minister of Energy) 46 speeches
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition raised a point of order to report that Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lasantha Chitramasekara had been shot inside the Sabha during a public day session. He drew Parliament’s attention to the seriousness of the incident and its immediate occurrence.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa raised a security concern following the shooting of a Chairman while he was performing official duties on a public day. He linked the incident to previously raised cases involving alleged abductions of two JVP Members and the shooting of an attorney-at-law, indicating a broader pattern of serious incidents requiring attention.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition, briefly asked the Speaker not to turn off his microphone. No substantive policy issue, proposal, or legislative matter was raised in the recorded remark.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition, raised a point of order. No substantive policy argument, proposal, or question is contained in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa, Leader of the Opposition, rose on a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or argument is contained in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary The Leader of the Opposition began raising a matter concerning Pradeshiya Sabha Chairman Lasantha Wickramasekara, referring to an incident or issue occurring in the Chairman’s office during a public day. The provided excerpt is incomplete and does not include the specific allegation, proposal, or request made to the House.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB
AI summary (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa informed Parliament that the shooting incident involving the Chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha had been reported and was under police investigation. He said the Minister of Public Security would provide Parliament with shareable investigative findings within hours, and that further progress, including the apprehension of suspects, would be reported as soon as possible.
- Hon. Gayantha Karunathilake
AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilake requested that the Leader of the Opposition be allowed to address the House.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa raised a concern about national security following an incident affecting the Chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha. He argued that if an elected local government representative cannot safely conduct a public day at the Pradeshiya Sabha, it reflects a serious security failure requiring attention.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake raised a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or question is recorded in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake objected to the Speaker’s handling of a privilege matter he had submitted the previous day, stating that it had been rejected directly by the Speaker rather than referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges. He indicated that rejection by the Committee would have been procedurally different, but his remarks were interrupted.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake briefly sought the Speaker’s attention to raise a matter of parliamentary privilege. No substantive details of the privilege issue were provided in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa raised a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or policy issue was presented in the provided text.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa informed Parliament that the Chairman of the Weligama Pradeshiya Sabha had died after succumbing to his injuries. The statement was made as an urgent update to the House.
Law & Order Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chathura Galappaththi SJB
AI summary Chathura Galappaththi raised a point of order during the proceedings. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was presented in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chathura Galappaththi SJB
AI summary Chathura Galappaththi raises an urgent matter concerning the Matara District, noting that he is its sole parliamentary representative. The available excerpt is incomplete and only indicates that he intended to refer to an issue involving an appointed Chairman.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chathura Galappaththi SJB
AI summary Chathura Galappaththi urged authorities to take action following the killing of a people’s representative. The intervention was a brief demand for a response to the incident.
Law & Order Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chathura Galappaththi SJB
AI summary Chathura Galappaththi stated that conditions had deteriorated to the extent that a public day could not be conducted. He implied concern about disruptions or constraints affecting normal public administration, though no further details or proposals were provided in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Chamara Sampath Dasanayake NDF
AI summary Chamara Sampath Dasanayake referred to a previously raised privilege matter concerning a person appointed to the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption, noting that a complaint had now been lodged with the Commission. After part of his remarks was expunged by order of the Chair, he requested permission to proceed with his privilege matter.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK
AI summary Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam rose on a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question is recorded in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK
AI summary Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam objected to the Chair preventing Members from raising privilege issues, arguing that such matters should be referred to the Committee on Ethics and Privileges rather than decided by the Speaker. He questioned whether privilege questions linked to complaints before the Bribery Commission were being disallowed and suggested that, if the Chair makes such determinations, the relevant committee under the Standing Orders would be redundant.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy JJB
AI summary Minister Kumara Jayakody replied to a Standing Order 27(2) question by providing detailed 2024 electricity generation and purchase costs by fuel type, ownership details of coal and diesel-related plants, and renewable energy tariff information. He outlined solar capacity targets under the Long-Term Generation Expansion Plan up to 2030, noting that solar deployment had reached close to forecast levels by end-2024 and that rooftop capacity had exceeded 2,000 MW by August 2025. He said the Government is promoting solar through competitive procurement, transmission upgrades, streamlined approvals, tariff-setting by a multi-agency committee, and rooftop limits tied to contracted demand to ensure equitable transformer capacity sharing.
- Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa questioned the Government’s renewable energy policy, arguing that successive reductions in the solar power tariff from Rs. 37 to Rs. 18 per unit discourage investment by small and medium renewable energy producers. He urged the Government to restore earlier tariff levels and support solar uptake in line with the 70 per cent renewable energy target for 2030. He also challenged the inclusion of LNG within that target, stating that LNG is not renewable and citing the Yugadanavi project as an example where, without an operational FSRU, generation effectively depends on diesel.
- Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy JJB
AI summary Kumara Jayakody clarified that LNG is not being described as renewable, but as a firm energy source used alongside diesel or coal when hydro output is low to maintain grid stability. He defended tariff reductions for solar projects as reflecting lower panel costs and currency appreciation, saying the benefit should be passed to consumers without harming genuine developers. He said approved solar capacity already exceeds this year’s LTGEP additions, with further grid expansion and battery storage tenders planned to support the target of 70% renewable energy by 2030.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy JJB
AI summary Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody said grid capacity constraints are affecting integration of new energy projects, but DOE approvals and transmission expansion are being used to accelerate progress. He stated that new expansion plans beyond Anuradhapura are expected within two to three years, with financing and design work underway, and noted that competitive battery storage tenders are open. He said government policy aims to protect consumers while maintaining the viability of the power sector and supporting genuine investors.
- 14 Papers Ministerial Statements: Flood Relief and Defence Updates 4 speeches
- 15 Procedural Procedural Motions: Exemptions and Sitting Hours 2 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate: Rules under Excise Ordinance and Special Commodity Levy Order (Session 1) 11 speeches
- 17 Debate Debate: Rules under Excise Ordinance and Special Commodity Levy Order (Session 2) 64 speeches
- 18 Procedural Procedural Motion: Approval of Rules and Order 1 speeches
- 19 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Promote Early Detection of Breast Cancer 21 speeches
- 20 Procedural Parliament Adjourned 1 speeches