Sitting of Thursday, 8 January 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23118 ·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 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers Presented 7 speeches
- 3 Petitions Petitions Presented 3 speeches
- 4 Procedural Procedural Matters and Points of Order 31 speeches
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake clarified the procedure followed before tabling a transfer under the Virements Procedure, citing Section 24(4) of the State Finance Management Act, No. 44 of 2024, and Section 59 of the Appropriation Act, No. 3 of 2025. He stated that such documents are checked for legality and timeliness by multiple authorities, including the Finance Ministry, the Office of the Leader of the House, the Secretary-General’s Office, and the Speaker, before being presented to Parliament. On the specific transfer in question, he noted that the first transaction occurred on 07 July and reached Parliament within less than a month.
- Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka sought clarification from the Speaker and the Leader of the House on when the customary Party Leaders’ Meeting would be held to determine the following week’s parliamentary agenda. He noted that Members had not been informed of its date and time, limiting their ability to prepare for upcoming debates.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Hon. Bimal Rathnayake said the Parliamentary Business Committee would not meet that week because two Government Bills were awaiting the conclusion of judicial proceedings and a possible Vote of No-Confidence, if tabled, would take priority under Standing Orders. He stated that party leaders would be informed depending on developments, while noting that procedural fairness, including the usual time needed to pass a resolution, would be observed alongside Government business priorities.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary Gayantha Karunathilleka asked whether the situation under discussion was limited to the current week because of a special circumstance.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Agreed sitting arrangements are generally intended to take place on Thursdays or Fridays of a sitting week, subject to consensus. The Member noted that circumstances may require changes to this practice in particular weeks.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa states that, following the Speaker’s permission for the Leader of the House to clarify a matter from the previous day, he also seeks to bring to the Speaker’s attention and clarify a special matter raised by Anuradhapura District MP Rohana Bandara Wijesundara.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri rose on a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or argument was stated in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri’s intervention was interrupted, and no substantive argument, proposal, question, or policy position was recorded in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri rose on a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question is included in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka SJB
AI summary Hon. Gayantha Karunathilleka stated that Parliament could not continue its proceedings in the current manner. No further details, proposals, or specific procedural objections were provided in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri rose on a point of Order. No substantive issue, proposal, or argument is recorded in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake noted that a similar incident or situation had occurred previously in Parliament, amid an interruption.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri briefly indicated agreement with the proceedings and directed that, with the House’s leadership, the relevant member move to the Chair.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Bimal Rathnayake JJB
AI summary Bimal Rathnayake sought to speak in relation to the Standing Orders, but his remarks were interrupted. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was recorded in the excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri rose on a point of order. No substantive issue, proposal, or question was recorded in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri rose on a point of Order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question is recorded in the provided text.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Chaminda Wijesiri raised a point under Standing Order 28 concerning the privileges of all Members, noting that the Leader of the Opposition was seeking to raise the matter on behalf of an Opposition MP. He emphasized that the Leader of the Opposition has the right to do so.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri objected to an interruption and asserted that a member had the right to speak on behalf of the Opposition. He requested that the Opposition be allowed to speak without disruption.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri SJB
AI summary Hon. Chaminda Wijesiri raised a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or policy issue was presented in the recorded excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Kins Nelson SJB
AI summary Hon. Kins Nelson briefly sought the Speaker’s permission to make a short intervention. No substantive issue, proposal, or question was raised in the statement.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - Mr. Speaker procedural
- 5 Oral question Oral Questions to Ministers (Q.117/2024-(2) through Q.1715/2025) 55 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Questions to Ministers (Q.1664/2025 through Q.1719/2025) 27 speeches
- 7 Oral question Standing Order 27(2) Questions and Ministerial Statements 27 speeches
- 8 Debate Motor Traffic Act Regulations Debate 66 speeches
- 9 Adjournment Adjournment Motion: Child Safety in Urban Housing Complexes 10 speeches