Sitting of Tuesday, 11 November 2025
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 22786 ·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 Announcements 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers: Sri Lanka Standards Council and Institution Reports 2 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions: Five Citizens' Petitions Presented 5 speeches
- 4 Procedural Procedural Matters: Chief Opposition Whip, Points of Order 9 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Personnel Recruited to Tri-Forces under Direct Entry (Q.1119/2025) 6 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Land Plots at Industrial Park in Poonthottam (Q.1315/2025) 7 speeches
- 7 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order and Ministerial Clarifications 10 speeches
- 8 Procedural Procedural Matters: Points of Order and Privilege Issues 23 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Affected Persons Due to Construction of Broadlands Hydropower Plant (Q.1404/2025) 8 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Sri Lanka Transport Board - Purchasing Spare Parts (Q.1428/2025) 6 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question: Banks and Financial Institutions in Northern and Eastern Provinces (Q.1182/2025) 3 speeches
- 12 Procedural Procedural: Question by Private Notice - Financial Bankruptcy Declaration (SO 27(2)) 13 speeches
- 13 Procedural Ministerial Statements: Debt Sustainability and SVAT Impact 7 speeches
- 14 Debate Debate: Second Reading of 2026 Budget Bill (Day 3, Morning) 13 speeches
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa argues that the Government’s promise of “a prosperous country – a beautiful life” is contradicted by worsening economic hardship, rising costs, and unmet public expectations. He questions the Government’s policy direction and calls for practical measures to address people’s livelihoods and essential needs, framing the issue as a failure to deliver on stated commitments.
Cost of Living Full speech → - Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa argued that the 2025 Budget had shown weak implementation, citing low physical and financial progress in allocations for education, autism services, agriculture, sports, coconut development and land investment programmes, and questioned the credibility of the 2026 Budget proposals in that context. He accused the Government of failing to fulfil election promises, including pledges relating to the IMF agreement and debt sustainability framework, and said poor households, farmers, workers, youth, businesses, women, plantation communities and fisherfolk had been neglected. He demanded answers on measures to reduce the cost of living, the functioning of any Cabinet or official cost-of-living mechanism, and the Government’s plan for unemployed graduates.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage - Minister of Rural Development, Social Security and Community Empowerment JJB
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Upali Pannilage defended the Government’s 2025 Budget implementation, citing parliamentary research data showing average ministry expenditure of 63 per cent by 30 September and rejecting Opposition claims of non-implementation. He argued that the Government’s priority is macroeconomic stabilization, pointing to growth, reserves, revenue performance, foreign exchange inflows, debt servicing, and reduced debt-to-GDP levels as evidence of progress. He stated that the 2026 Budget allocates Rs. 837 billion for social protection and that the Government intends to direct stabilization gains toward rural development, plantation workers, and wider welfare measures.
Public Finance Full speech → - Mr. Deputy Speaker procedural
- Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna Independent Group 17 - Jaffna
AI summary Hon. (Dr.) Ramanathan Archchuna raised a Point of Order under Standing Order 27(2) responding to Hon. Nizam Kariapper’s claim that he slept during the President’s Budget Speech. He stated that he had read the 141-page Budget and argued that it contained no specific benefits for the Northern Province, explaining that this was the reason for his conduct.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Deputy Speaker procedural
- Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna JJB
AI summary Hon. Susantha Kumara Nawarathna supported the 2026 Budget, emphasizing its agricultural measures under the Government’s broader policy pillars. He highlighted allocations for SATOSA purchases and storage, fertilizer subsidies and credit, farmers’ pensions, paddy buffer stocks, youth agripreneurs, crop insurance, irrigation modernization, paddy drying machinery, and dairy sector development. He said these measures respond to current difficulties faced by onion, potato, and rice farmers, and stated that the Government aims to establish a fair purchasing mechanism by the following year to ensure just prices for farm produce.
Agriculture Full speech → - Mr. Deputy Speaker procedural
- Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran ITAK
AI summary Hon. Thurairasa Ravikaran thanked the Government for several 2026 Budget allocations for Vanni projects, but argued that the North, particularly Mullaitivu and Mannar, remains severely under-resourced compared with other regions in health, education, transport, water, ICT, fisheries and livelihoods. He called for immediate action against illegal fishing in Mullaitivu, removal of “difficult area” classifications for Mannar and Mullaitivu apex hospitals, completion of unfinished school and infrastructure projects, equitable ICT and STEM investments, and proportionate transport development under Budget allocations. He also criticised higher defence funding relative to education and stated his strong opposition to the Kivul Oya project in Vavuniya, saying it would harm indigenous Tamil communities.
- Mr. Deputy Speaker procedural
- Hon. Sudath Balagalla JJB
AI summary Hon. Sudath Balagalla defended the 2026 Budget, arguing that it benefits all sections of society while reducing the deficit from the 2023 level, and accused the Opposition of misrepresenting measures such as vehicle allocations. He highlighted Government actions including doubling Mahapola payments, increasing public sector salaries, restoring pensions for 2016 recruits, addressing agricultural storage and purchasing issues, developing local seed production, and responding to the human-elephant conflict. He also emphasized direct relief and housing support for estate workers in Badulla, calling for procedural or legislative fixes where needed, and asserted that the Government has the commitment to continue its development programme.
- 15 Procedural Procedural: Sitting Suspended for Lunch 1 speeches
- 16 Debate Debate: Second Reading of 2026 Budget Bill (Day 3, Afternoon/Evening) 81 speeches
- 17 Adjournment Adjournment: Termination of Driving Licences for Foreign Tourists (Three-wheelers) 24 speeches