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
- 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
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa JJB
AI summary (Dr.) Nalinda Jayatissa moved, on behalf of the Prime Minister and Minister of Education and of Tertiary and Vocational Education, for parliamentary approval of an Order under Section 2 of the Special Commodity Levy Act, published in Gazette Extraordinary No. 2451/10 of 25 August 2025 and presented on 21 October 2025, with Cabinet approval. He also moved the motion relating to Rules under the Excise Ordinance and opened the debate, calling on Hon. Nishantha Jayaweera to begin.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Nishantha Jayaweera - Deputy Minister of Economic Development JJB
AI summary Deputy Minister Nishantha Jayaweera moved approval for amendments to Excise Notification No. 962 to tighten recovery of liquor excise arrears, stating that unpaid excise totals Rs. 10.5 billion and that licences will now be cancelled if dues remain unpaid beyond one month, with all related licences cancelled after 90 days. He said the Government is also preparing a comprehensive replacement for the Excise Ordinance to strengthen recovery powers and is modernizing Excise administration through the RASED system, POS integration, and a public verification app for tax-paid liquor. He also sought approval for an Order under the Special Commodity Levy Act raising levies on imported potatoes and big onions to protect local farmers and create more market space for domestic produce.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa said increases in the Special Commodity Levy on potatoes and big onions must genuinely improve farmers’ cost recovery and not merely benefit importers through poor timing or pre-stocking. He cited production costs exceeding farm-gate prices, high import dependence, and difficulties faced by farmers in key growing areas, and called for levies to be timed with harvest cycles and set through the National Tariff Policy Committee and Cabinet after proper impact assessment. He also proposed reducing input and seed costs, improving coordination between Agriculture and Trade authorities, and introducing modern technologies and training for potato and big onion cultivation while maintaining fair consumer prices.
- Thilanka U. Gamage JJB
AI summary Thilanka U. Gamage disputed the Opposition Leader’s estimate of big onion production costs, stating that improved yields had reduced costs to about Rs. 90–100 per kg, while noting broader economic stabilization indicators. He said new Excise rules are intended to enforce timely remittance of existing taxes, with a 3% monthly late fee after one month and licence cancellation after 90 days, addressing arrears of Rs. 10.5 billion. He supported increasing the Special Commodity Levy on big onions from Rs. 10 to Rs. 50 and potatoes from Rs. 60 to Rs. 80 to protect local farmers, encourage domestic production, manage imports, and maintain price stability.
- Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK
AI summary Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam questioned the consistency of government policy on rice, potato and onion imports, arguing that import controls should protect domestic producers without harming consumers and that licensing should be broadened to reduce monopolies. He supported stricter Excise arrears rules but said the Government had not fulfilled its promise to cancel politically granted bar permits, citing alleged permits issued in Kilinochchi and stating that names submitted to the CID had not been investigated. He also called for an immediate investigation into alleged meetings involving an NPP MP, a State Minister and a businessman regarding the Kalutara Co-operative Distillery and a related lease proposal amid ongoing litigation.
- (Dr.) Najith Indika JJB
AI summary No substantive speech content is provided beyond the address to the Chair. Therefore, no policy position, proposal, question, or argument can be summarized.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Hon. Najith Indika JJB
AI summary Hon. Najith Indika rejected allegations circulated on social media, stating that he had not spoken of any such deal and had no authority to do so as a Deputy Minister. He argued that unverified online claims should not be repeated in Parliament without accountability, said legal action would be taken over alleged personal defamation, and undertook to inform the House of developments.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam ITAK
AI summary Hon. Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam alleged that government figures had met YG Holdings officials at the Kingsbury Hotel to arrange corrupt deals, urging authorities to verify the claim through CCTV footage and take action. He linked the allegation to past fraud involving the sale of a Payagala Distilleries bottling plant and argued that the Government, elected on an anti-corruption mandate, must act consistently against Ministers as well as others. He welcomed the proposal to reduce the grace period for ethanol distributors, producers and distilleries from six months to one month before enforcement action for non-payment.
Corruption & Governance Reform Full speech → - The Hon. Deputy Chairperson of Committees procedural
- 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