Sitting of Tuesday, 20 January 2026
Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23200 ·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 Opening - Parliament Met at 9:30 a.m. 1 speeches
- 2 Papers Papers Tabled - Annual Reports 3 speeches
- 3 Committee report Committee Report - Aswesuma Welfare Benefits Scheme 1 speeches
- 4 Petitions Petitions 2 speeches
- 5 Oral question Oral Question: Norochcholai Coal Power Plant Environmental Impact (Q.7/2026) 6 speeches
- 6 Oral question Oral Question: Sri Lanka Educational Administrative Service Officers (Q.13/2026) 8 speeches
- 7 Oral question Oral Question: Dumbara Prison Overcrowding (Q.21/2026) 6 speeches
- 8 Oral question Oral Question: State Lands on Lease in Anuradhapura District (Q.27/2026) 6 speeches
- 9 Oral question Oral Question: Land-Related Actions in Manmunai Pattu and Vakarai Divisions (Q.36/2026) 5 speeches
- 10 Oral question Oral Question: Vehicle Imports and Revenue Collection (Q.38/2026) 11 speeches
- 11 Oral question Oral Question: Export Crops and Coconut Production Targets (Q.49/2026) 6 speeches
- 12 Oral question Oral Question: Land Reform Commission Lands in Puttalam District (Q.55/2026) 6 speeches
- 13 Oral question Oral Question: Non-Government Schools in Elpitiya Education Zone (Q.61/2026) 6 speeches
- 14 Oral question Oral Question: Pension Entitlements and Samurdhi Banks Computerization (Q.67/2026) 6 speeches
- 15 Procedural Procedural - No-Confidence Motion Discussion 8 speeches
- 16 Oral question Question under Standing Order 27(2): Coal Supply Tender Process 20 speeches
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa - Leader of the Opposition SJB
AI summary Under Standing Order 27(2), Sajith Premadasa raised questions on alleged failures and lack of transparency in the coal procurement process for the Norochcholai Lakvijaya Power Plant. He asked the relevant Minister to explain the timing and conduct of the tender, the reported reduction of the bidding period, changes to technical and financial eligibility criteria, bid evaluation details, and the selected supplier’s experience. He also questioned reports of substandard coal, delayed testing, increased coal consumption, possible losses exceeding Rs. 10 billion, and risks to coal stocks, boiler performance, efficiency, and plant life.
- The Hon. Kumara Jayakody - Minister of Energy JJB
AI summary The Minister of Energy responded to questions on the 2025–2026 coal procurement, stating that the tender followed limited competitive bidding among prequalified suppliers, with NPC consent to a shortened timeline later extended to 28 days, and that no bidder had appealed. He said technical and financial criteria were unchanged from the previous tender, ten bids were received, and the selected supplier was registered and qualified to supply Norochcholai, while rejecting allegations of governance failure or risk to energy security. He noted that the first shipment failed to meet the required Gross Calorific Value and would attract double penalties of about USD 2.08 million, while subsequent testing and enforcement were proceeding, and announced steps to establish an accredited coal-testing laboratory in Sri Lanka through SLSI.
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa asked the Minister to identify the “certain MP” referred to and stated that Opposition MPs had no involvement in coal procurement. He said he raised the matter due to public concern and sought clarification on whether the awarded supplier met tender eligibility criteria, including prior experience supplying at least one million metric tonnes of coal with 5,900 kcal/kg GCV. He also questioned why the normal April tender timeline had been departed from.
- The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa questioned changes in the coal import tender process and timing, including how the procurement schedule came to bypass the monsoon window. Citing reported admissions of shortcomings by officials before a Sectoral Oversight Committee, he proposed a full forensic audit and requested that its report be presented to Parliament.
- The Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB
AI summary Kumara Jayakody asked the Leader of the Opposition to clarify what “shortcoming” had been acknowledged, noting that he and others had not been able to participate in the relevant event or discussion and were unaware of the details.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa referred to earlier matters he had raised and noted that testimony from certain officials indicated shortcomings. He began to request follow-up action, but the excerpt ends before the specific request is stated.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB
AI summary Kumara Jayakody briefly stated that the alleged shortcoming was unclear, seeking clarification on the matter before the House.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB
AI summary Hon. Kumara Jayakody stated that the matter had been addressed in his response to Question 3 and explained that the procurement was a prequalification tender in which 20 entities were prequalified and 10 submitted bids. He said the procurement committee vetted the criteria on coal supply experience and volume, and that any dissatisfied bidder could have appealed to the Appeal Board, but none did. He requested that any evidence of irregularity be presented, noting that even the previous long-time supplier, Potencia FZ LLC, had not challenged the process.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa raised a point of order. No substantive argument, proposal, or question was stated in the provided excerpt.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary The Hon. Sajith Premadasa asked whether a forensic audit would be conducted and whether its report would be tabled in Parliament.
Public Finance Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Hon. Sajith Premadasa requested that an unanswered question be addressed, pressing for a direct response from the relevant party.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- The Hon. Kumara Jayakody JJB
AI summary Assured the House that the matter raised would be examined and that necessary action would be taken.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Sajith Premadasa SJB
AI summary Sajith Premadasa asked whether the relevant report would be tabled in Parliament.
Parliamentary Procedure Full speech → - The Hon. Speaker procedural
- 17 Oral question Question under Standing Order 27(2): Tourism Performance and Deferral of Ravi Karunanayake Question 7 speeches
- 18 Procedural Procedural - No-Confidence Motion and Business Scheduling Discussion 11 speeches
- 19 Procedural Personal Explanation - Hon. (Dr.) M.L.A.M. Hizbullah and Procedural Interruptions 13 speeches
- 20 Procedural Presentation of Bills 3 speeches
- 21 Debate Debate - Aswesuma Welfare Benefit Payment Scheme 76 speeches
- 22 Adjournment Adjournment Debate - "8960" Cyclone Relief Measures and Constitutional Point of Order 7 speeches
- 23 Papers Document Tabled - State Lands for Disaster Resettlement 1 speeches